CAN FATE BRING US BACK
by mssupertigz
Summary: My take on the infamous beach scene for S5 - so enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**My take on the events of the last ep of Chuck. Like all of us we have our own mixed emotions of that ep – I felt that there were a lot of hits and misses. So I am venturing out to create my own version. I hope that you like it – I might even continue to indulge in other chapters. I can't leave them on the beach can I? Anyways I just wrote this out of respect to the show – it has not been looked over b/c I didn't really care to – also I had to give MRW a break lol – Please read and review – In the end I don't own Chuck!**

**Can fate bring us back**

Chuck dreaded the walk from Ellie's. He knew that his life had changed, but would it change even more once he opened that door to their apartment. Did Chuck even have the right to still call it 'their' place. Chuck paused at the door and the sensed that he wasn't alone. This was confirmed by a voice that was so sweet, so safe, and so sincere but it wasn't the same. Chuck slowly turned around and for thousands of times before that he loved looking at that image that stood at the entrance. Every time Sarah came by their talks helped shaped their existence. From the several attempted break-ups by the fountain and Sarah telling him to keep his feelings to himself because he was now a spy. All made him more determine to win her heart (again and again.) He did it before and he was determined to do it again.

Chuck listened as Sarah told him that she believed everything that he had told her. She knew that what they had was real. But the sad part was she didn't feel what Chuck felt for her. Sarah painfully told Chuck that she needed to find herself after Quinn took her memories. She needed to leave, and that was the only thing Sarah knew how to do – she was a spy and would always be a spy. Even though Chuck had laid Sarah's inner spy to rest, all was dug up and all remained were a few scattered memories but not enough to make her stay.

Sarah painfully said her goodbyes – she knew by the look in Chuck's eye that it hurt her to say those words but it hurt him even more to hear them. Chuck thought that they had enough time. He could fix this! But Sarah wasn't really broken she was standing right in front of him. But it was her mind, the one thing, he just couldn't fix. Chuck said good-bye and watched Sarah walk away – this time he knew that she might never come back.

Sarah got into her car and placed her hands on the steering wheel and leaned forward. Her eyes flooded with tears. Why would she cry if she had no memories, why would one man like Chuck have such an affect on her. She couldn't walk back now, could she? Did she just make a big mistake? Chuck told her he loved her, she had the proof. She was a spy and spies needed proof. '_So what if I don't have feeling for him like he does for me? If I didn't have feeling why am I so emotional now? HE'S JUST A GUY WHO IS MY HUSBAND. This guy….'_

Sarah wiped her tears as best as she could and started her car.

Chuck still blown away, had just watched his past, present and who knows what part of his future walk out of his life, for good? '_Am I crazy, I just let her walk away, what am I doing? I need to try and get her back._

Chuck ran out to the street as fast as he could as he rounded the corner he saw Sarah's taillights, he was too late.

Chuck walked around for hours not knowing what to do. He tried to call her but her phone had been disconnected. Casey told him that she hadn't left town yet. Ellie's words still rang in his ears that last time he tried to win her back from Shaw. Ellie told him that he didn't try hard enough. So when he tried, he had won her over, she came too him. Maybe, Chuck would have another chance. Chuck drove over to the hotel and banged on the door. Nothing, no answer. He left, his hopes diminishing. He walked to his car and a slight warm sea breeze had wakened his inner fight. He had one more shot. Chuck wasn't a man to literally hit a target but he was a man, a nerd for that matter that won the heart of one Sarah Walker. He heart warmed her just because of who he was. He knew one place that she would go. One place where it all started. He had one more chance.

Sarah drove for hours around places that seemed to have some resemblance to her past. She also remembered her daily logs that she had started the day she walked into the BuyMore. She knew how to play the game of being a spy – she knew that spies couldn't do one thing – that one thing that could jeopardize their thoughts and could compromise a mission. That one thing was that spies don't fall in love. The more she thought the more she tried to fight what she was feeling. Where these feelings hers? Or where they what she had heard, seen, in the past few weeks after the train mission. She was smart, she was the best, but could she actually have done her job that good. So good that this life was created, and have no feelings what so ever?

Sarah stopped the car, turned the ignition off. She didn't recall how she got there. It like a force had driven the car there for her. She wiped the last tear she thought and got out. The sun was slowly creeping up through the horizon. The night's coolness was slowly heating up a new day, new life. She walked out towards the water, and sat down. She stared out to a world of blue. The water was so calm, yet active. It was peaceful but at the same time harsh. The waves crashed the matted sand and smooth it out at the same time. Her thoughts were quickly snatched up by the waves; she didn't know that she was being watched. For a spy she failed miserably this time anyways.

Chuck ran to the edge of the tall grass and scanned the beach to his left then his eyes trail down to his right where he saw her. He wondered if she had – had the same feelings when she was staring at him 5 years ago – he always loved the fact that she had fallen in love him that night. He guessed that he too had fallen for her as well. He tried to gain up enough courage to venture out to her. But he decided to just watch her – for a little while even if this was all he was given – he wasn't going to take it for granted. The sun's warmth felt like a warm tug that was urging him to go out there. Chuck wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and got up. Dusted his pants off and slowly started his decent. God only knew what would take place after this. He knew that fate had brought him here to this place, this place right now. Chuck continued his walk towards Sarah. Sarah was still unaware that she was being watch and that her knight in shining armour was once again coming to heart warm her. Chuck was a few metres away from her when something he couldn't explain awakened Sarah from her quiet moment. Sarah took a breath and exhaled and at that same exact time she turned to her left and saw Chuck standing there. Whatever powers were there_, 'Chuck would have said something nerdy right about now – Why would I know that? _Sarah thought to herself.

Chuck waited for her to make the next move. _She could do two things maybe three Chuck thought to himself. She could swim out to sea, she was a good swimmer (He remembered Thailand and the Giant Shemale mission) She could run either to her left or run back to the road (she was a good runner even in high heels) OR she could walk to him. Chuck was hoping that it didn't consist of her running or swimming away._

Sarah got up and looked at her options, run, swim OR walk over to Chuck. She knew that the other options would get her out of there and she would start a new life without him. Or she could go to him and take it from there. Sarah knew that her past was not the best – It didn't offer much of anything but from what she had observed and personally experienced. A life with Chuck could be something she could get use to again. She knew she was again starting to have feelings for him. Did she want to start with that?

Sarah turned and faced Chuck. Chuck waited and watched. Sarah looked up at a man that would have done anything for her over and over again. More than Bryce more than any mark she had to deal with. Chuck was her family or the closest definition of a family. Sarah knew that when her biological family betrayed her - her surrogate family was there for her. Chuck's family was there for her. Her new family was there for her and always would be.

Sarah walked a few steps closer. Chuck didn't want to get too excited but she didn't go for a swim. That was 1 out of 3. Chuck took a small step towards Sarah. Each painful step felt like eternity – she was so close but yet so far. Sarah continued her walk – each of her steps were one step closer to a life she wasn't sure about but was willing to give it a try. Chuck looked up and saw that she had stopped in her path. Chuck felt that she was going to run. He closed his eyes and with defeat he gave up, he tried. As he opened his eyes to see that he was right. There, Sarah stood facing him. She had placed her hands on either side of his face. She knew that this moment was like déjà vu but she didn't care. She brought her lips towards Chucks. There lips were like magnets that were separated by the earth's gravitational forces and brought back home to where they belonged. Chuck grabbed Sarah and with the strength he had left and held her in his arms. Their lips danced, their feelings ignited the passion that was and would always be. Kisses don't lie when other things do. Chuck had found his Sarah and Sarah had found what she had once lost but fate had brought it back to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Ok all I caved in, here is chapter two – Still don't know where this story is going to go but the more I dwell into it, the more I see, that it has many opportunities. This chapter is a short chapter but when things getting going the chapters will get longer – if you're use to my longer chapters check out Chuck vrs the Unknown – there you get your fix of longer chapters. This one is for fun and what was missed at the end of S5 – I still don't own Chuck and this has not been looked over – I am giving MRW a break – cause I will need her for ch 11 – Enjoy and please review if you like what your reading.

"Wait wait Chuck!" Sarah pulled away. Chuck very disappointed!

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Chuck was so sweet, Sarah knew that about him. "Noooooo, Chuck it's not you it's just."

Chuck looking confused, if it wasn't him then what was it?

"It's just that I needed to breathe?"

Chuck leaned his head on Sarah's shoulders. And breathed a huge sigh of relief. He thought…W_ho cares why? Breathing is good – that's means she not leaving or is she?_

Chuck started to ramble but Sarah cut him of with another kiss. There was something about kissing Chuck that felt normal, felt real – could kisses feel normal be this real?

Sarah caressed Chuck's face and looked into his eyes.

"How did you know that I would be here?"

Chuck gazed back into those beautiful blue eyes that warmed his heart every time. "Babe, I mean Sarah this was our place and when I went chasing after you." Chuck paused. "After you left the apartment, I went over to your hotel. And, Casey said that you hadn't left so the only other place that I thought that you could end up was here but it was a long shot."

"I don't know really how I got here, Chuck – I had been driving for hours after I left you and I ended up here. Don't ask me how or why because I honestly I don't know?"

"And now? The kiss? "You kissed me!" Chuck pleading his case.

Sarah bit the bottom of her lip. She didn't have to dig deep to find an answer for Chuck. "It felt like the right thing to do."

Chuck wasn't expecting that – he was thinking that Sarah would say something like – _I thought that if I kiss you like they do in fairy tales all would be safe and back to normal - _Sarah looked at Chuck. "It felt right but Chuck I don't know….um I mean I believe you and what you said about us, and what we had. But apart of me, ah I don't feel that same way about you as you do for me but just now." Chuck was hoping that the thought of the kiss had actually done something. That the powers at be were finally giving Chuck and Sarah a second chance, giving Sarah that second chance. "Just now, the kiss –well I." Sarah paused again. Chuck could see that this Sarah wasn't like the old Sarah, that said what was on her mind. Chuck didn't want to admit that there was an old Sarah and a new Sarah because she hadn't split into two – she was one person that for the life of him – he couldn't figure out why, she had to go through all of this. Sarah was one person, one flesh, one soul – one heart and the biggest part that was missing, were her memories.

"Chuck." Sarah placed her hands in his and rubbed the back of his hands. This motion of her thumb on his hands triggered a faint but strong sense of familiarity but she didn't want to jinx it. "I am not going to lie to you – the kiss I did feel something." Chuck looked up his spirits a little higher. "But before you give me that look I want to tell you that it's a small, very small step forward. At this moment we're no longer strangers/ enemies for that matter but we are no closer to how we supposedly were weeks ago." Sarah continued to caress Chuck's hands. Chuck looked at his hands then up at Sarah. " I totally under..." Chuck dragging out his reply. "I get it like you said it a small step, but we're moving forward right. You're going to stay?"

Sarah let go of one of Chuck's hand. She brought his hand to her cheek and leaned into it. Chuck opened his hand to accepted her face. Sarah closed her eyes trying to get some sense to why she was doing any of this. She had her chance to run, even swim away from him but she didn't. Whatever was keeping her here she had to see where it could lead. Sarah never backed down on a mission – and she was determined to make this her main priority – a mission that didn't include a cover, a location, rank or serial number. This mission had the facts, which she thrived on. But the fact that she was connected to this man not only by a legal document but something more than erased memories, more than any intimate passionated moment with him, more than what the kiss poured into her. The kiss triggered something that Sarah was determined to find out the answers for.

Chuck and Sarah walked for a bit – then sat down and watched the sun rise. Sarah turned to look at Chuck but quickly turned away. Sarah felt like a high school girl sitting beside the quarterback – she felt giddy, nervous but why when a part of her knew him, so why these feelings then? She knew that Chuck didn't have to do much to make her head spin or her heart pound– she found that out by watching the video logs she kept and what she observed when they went on the hunt for Quinn. Sarah saw the real Chuck – how he poured out his heart to her in 'their house'. But seeing him stare out to the sea made her more determined than ever to understand this man and why he had such a hold on her when she didn't really have to stay or care.

Chuck snuck in a quick glance at Sarah and Sarah wondered what was going on in his head. He had the intersect back in his head so she knew that he could flash on her at any moment if he wanted to. She also knew that he had the upper hand on who knew who the best. Sarah tilted her head. "Chuck."

Chuck looked at Sarah. "Yeah?"

"Tell me our story."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all who have taken the time to read my take on the last scene ever of Chuck – I don't own Chuck but would love to – Also please review and if you have the time check out my other story called Chuck vrs the Unknown – This story has not been looked over just written and read over and over – so have fun **

**Ch 3 – Can love bring us back together**

Chuck looked at Sarah – beside the words "I do" and "I love you Chuck." Hearing Sarah asked him to tell her their story, made Chuck the happiest man alive. At that moment he knew that the heavens were allowing them to try for that second chance, and that big step forward. It was another step that would hopefully bring them to where they were a few weeks ago. A life that included, a break from the spy life, a house and a family. But, Chuck knew that their past might be just that, a past but this new future looked bright, even brighter every time Sarah looked at him. She was sitting beside him – she could have ran, she could have never ended up on their beach – their spot. With all the spots in the world that they cherished, the fountain, the home theatre room, the supply closets – Beckman's' jet – a Paris hotel, these special places would never compare to this spot – even though it wasn't classic – it was the place that Sarah 5 years ago asked Chuck to trust her and look how that turned out – now it was Sarah's turn to do the same.

Chuck pondered how he should pursue their story – what would he include and what would he omit – was it important to mention the will they won't they dual they fought for years for and against – or the fact that they had other relationships before they truly gave in into their feelings?

That Sarah, the so-called strong one was not that normal girl – that Chuck some how turned her into that girl. Or the times that Chuck thought that their relationship wasn't going anywhere – that Chuck found that their relationship might have had an Achilles heel. Or doubts of insecurities, that they weren't good at relationships.

Setting that aside, Chuck had the opportunity to tell Sarah the truth because the truth had set them free. What they feared was never going to stop them anymore – though it tried loved conquered all.

Chuck started to tell Sarah their story – Sarah listened intently as Chuck dwelled into what was a shaky, uncertain direction. Chuck began….

"It all started one day about 5 years ago when a young guy was working at the BuyMore he received an email from a friend from College and the next day a beautiful spy walked into the Buy More. Events lead you to become my handler because the email that Bryce had sent me, and I had opened contained important US documents that were so secret that I had to be protected. You were all work and you rarely smiled – I was a job to you and that was all that you had signed up for – a mission with facts and stats. You had a motto that you stuck with for a every long time and that was 'spies don't fall in love'. But, as we started going on missions, and really getting to know each other. We really had to put our trust in each other because not all our missions were the safest – it was not only my life that was in jeopardy but yours as well. Pretty soon that motto of yours started to have a few cracks in it. You denied us for a long time and I guess I denied us as well. Where we were heading and if 'this ' could work. There were times that I didn't like the fact that we couldn't be anything beyond our fake cover. At first I liked our 'fake cover dates and missions' because when would a nerd like me ever in be in the same vicinity or have the opportunity to be on the arms of a beautiful suffocated woman such as yourself. So I guess I milked it for all it was worth – a fake relationship with you was better than no relationship at all. If I couldn't have you for real I would settle for second best.

I gave you a bracelet close to Christmas one year that use to mean a lot to my family – we weren't a real couple or even a real boy friend or girlfriend but it felt right to give it to you – I am glad that I gave that to you because it stuck around. Again time went on and after our 'cover dates and missions' became stagnant and a chore – they weren't as fun, exciting as they once were – they became very emotionally draining. The hardest part at first was holding your hand and not being able to take it further. Other times when we concluded a mission and as I recall we were still under the influence of a drug. We were about to take the antidote when I asked you blatantly if you had any feeling for me under the undercover thing and you said no. After that I couldn't allow you to hurt me anymore, like I had been hurt before. Even though I felt or started to have true feelings for you. I wouldn't allow myself to go there. I tried and I asked you and you said no. So I took the high rode or I thought that I had, and I sought out another person that could tell me and show me how they felt about me. Our fake relationship had crossed its last line. But that didn't last long. One day when our lives were in jeopardy you gambled – everything. You saw the timer run down on what we thought at the time was a bomb – I closed my eyes and when I feared the worst my lips were blessed with a kiss from a beautiful spy…..you. You kissed me that night in the warehouse.

From there our relationship had crossed that line for good and spies could fall in love. But it took us some time to get where we ended up. I was heading to a bunker because my identity had been blown. I was thrown off a building because of a cipher – thanks goodness that Casey was there to catch me. You were willing to give up your career to help me find my dad. We had several close calls that cemented our feelings even more but because I was still your asset – you didn't want to allow yourself or the government to have a say in where our relationship was suppose to go. We had a taste of living in the suburbs that was harder than we thought it would be. We tried to avoid each other and how we really felt because of the job. It was always about the job and about the cover and nothing more. For the longest time ' the cover' was our excuse, both for the good and for the bad. We craved the chance to go on missions just to be together even though it paned us to be that close and not act on our feelings. We knew our fears and one day we would have to face those fears. But was it fear or was it something more terrifying like falling in LOVE.

One morning in a seedy motel in Barstow the outside world didn't exist. We woke up in each other's arms and as we looked into each other's eyes we knew that whatever happened from that point and thereafter could never change how we felt about each other at that particular moment. Time stood still, literally and when our lips met for the official second time – we knew that we were playing with fire but we didn't care. We had denied our selves the right to feel what we were feeling to show each other that raw desire we had been denying ourselves for so long. You were able to let your walls down and for the first time in a long time I saw the real Sarah Walker – Sarah Walker the girl I mean woman and not Sarah Walker the spy. I won't sugar coat it – it got pretty intense pretty fast, but it wasn't our time at least not at that moment. When the sands of time caught up to us it couldn't erase what had surpassed. Yes the world had caught up to us, but we had shared a moment that any CIA manual couldn't have a say in, or even prepare a spy for.

Chuck waited to see what response he would get from Sarah. He looked at her and her finger lightly wiped a tear that was forming. He placed his hand on her knee.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Sarah didn't respond, and Chuck didn't know how to take that. There was a lot more to tell Sarah but he had to tread lightly. He had his time with her but she could easily get up and leave. Chuck waited and looked out to the ocean for Sarah's answer. Sarah was trying to comprehend all that she had heard and what seemed to be their first few years together. Sarah was surprised that Chuck stuck around. From what she was hearing she gave him a very hard time. He was smitten with her from the start and Sarah figured that she was too but because of the job, covers and missions – Chuck was right it was a job that was becoming much much more. Like Chuck said no CIA manual could have prepared her for what she was supposedly feeling for him. And she knew she had to hear more. From what she remembered from her daily logs – After Bristow their relationship took a painful twist – she had to hear his version of the facts and not a structured guideline like that of writing your thesis. She knew by the facts that all the 'T's were crossed and the "i" were dotted. But she wanted to see the real truth in the eyes of the man who was her husband, that man who was sitting beside her. Chuck was her lifeline to her soul – her heart and the key to unlocking her memories. She couldn't have him stop now. Even if some of her past and his brought up painful memories it had to be retold. She knew that it all worked out but Why? How come? When? Where? What happened that it all worked out? She knew that Chuck wouldn't lie to her.

Chuck felt a slight tug on his right arm, then an arm slid under his and Sarah's hand intertwined her fingers in his. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Chuck leaned his head on top of hers.

"Chuck, can you please continue."

Chuck squeezed her hand and leaned his head into hers again.

Chuck took an even deeper breath this time. The next few stories about their relationship were heart breaking just thinking about them and now he had to relive the worst year of his life.

Chuck continued to hold Sarah's hand in his – this gave him the strength he needed to continue. But it also gave Sarah the only thing that felt real – as small as it was holding Chuck's hand it meant a lot more. She knew that Chuck and her had their quirks about them. That a handshake or a look meant more to them than any other form of intimate contact. Sarah knew that it was all they had for the longest time till she was able to let Chuck in. That the person was more than the job so once Sarah came to realize that what followed was just an added bonus. Sarah embraced herself as Chuck continued their story.

"Well after Bristow, my dad that you helped find – removed the intersect from my head and because I no longer had the intersect in head the Government was pulling operation Bartowski. So that meant, well I thought that it meant that we could pursue what we both knew was starting up between us. I was no longer your asset and you were no longer my handler. When I came into a lot of money and I wanted us to go away together I scrounged up enough courage to ask you to go away with me at my sister's wedding of all places. But you said that you were going away with Bryce to head up the newest intersect project. I was really hurt. I didn't know why you would have agreed to do that. When you knew that I was falling for you and that you were heading in that same direction. But as the days progressed, we had one more mission to finish – that mission changed the lives of many people. Bryce had been killed and because of that I had to step up to the plate. I knew why the intersect was given to me and why I had to be the one to keep the world safe. You told me that I could do anything that I set my mind to – you also told me that some people want to be heroes and some are asked to be – I wasn't sure what I wanted but I couldn't let the world down or you so I uploaded the intersect again. I knew that either way you had to stay – whether it was for the job or because there was something more.

You weren't too happy with me at first for uploading the 2.0 because we tried so hard the first time around to get it out. I couldn't see you walk out of my life not before or after and if having the intersect was the only way that I could still have you in my life then that was the choice I had to make. I risked my freedom for love.

General Beckman had then made arrangements for me to get trained in Prague to allow the 2.0 to do its thing. When you got word that I was heading to Prague you stopped me and we talked about me becoming a real spy. I so excited but when I saw that you weren't I wasn't sure what to feel. You asked me with all the confusion and preparation going on to get me to Prague if I wanted to run away with you. To give up the spy life and start a new life with you. I thought that all my dreams were coming true. A life with you – what more could I have asked for. I said yes and you told me that you would make arrangements for us to meet each other at Praha train station in Prague. But when I arrived I told you that there was an Attack Facility near by to train me to become a spy with the 2.0. You told me that a spy life wasn't real that what we had was real and that I had to make the choice to stay or go with you. It hurt me deeply to say no – I told you that I couldn't come with you and I left you standing on the deck of the train station.

I returned to the Attack Facility and failed miserably because I knew that I had lost you and my focus was interfering with my progress. Beckman fired me and I headed back to Burbank – I had not seen you for about 6 months. We never talked till one day I got word that you were back in Burbank and that you were heading up a mission near by. After some convincing I got myself cleaned up, I got dressed up in my nerd herd uniform and hunted you down. You looked so beautiful in your purple dress – you always looked good in purple by the way. So when I entered the room that you were in – my heart stopped and so did yours. The time apart was not the best for us but it did show us that there was something between us. I kind of flubbed the mission that you were on but we kissed and that kiss started a spiralling effect that added a lot of strain on our professional relationship.

After Prague I knew that you were hurt, that I didn't run away with you. I knew that I hurt you and that I was sorry but I had to let you know somehow how I truly felt. I was locked up in a safe and I poured my life, my soul out to you at the moment. I remember telling you that you were everything to me. That my life was not complete without you, you were everything that I ever wanted but how could I have run away with you knowing what I turned my back on. Knowing what I had in my head could help a lot of people – you were the one that taught me that being a spy was choosing something bigger. It was about putting aside your personal feelings for the greater good and that was what I chose. I chose to be a spy for my friends and for my family I chose to be a spy for you because I loved you.

Not one of my finer moments to say the least. But the ball was in your court and you definitely made that clear. You told me that now that I was a spy – I had to keep my feelings to myself. I was taken aback by your words and that you could give up so easily on us. I spilled my heart out to you just like you spilled out yours in Prague. But because the shoe was on the other foot you played the spy card once again. Spies don't fall in love – those words so haunting yet so painful – like knives in ones side. You changed after Prague – not because you were hurt that was evident but that you would give up so easily. For someone that wouldn't give up on anything if there life depended on it, WHY NOW!

I couldn't figure out that in a span of a few months your feelings could just disappear, like that. I was hurt that you didn't attempt to make a different choice but I chose to agree to disagree. I loved you too much to be with out you. Even if we were just partners and nothing more.

Our team had some changes that brought not only changes with how we operated but changes in our personal lives. You ended up seeing Daniel Shaw and I started seeing girl named Hannah – I personally thought Shaw was out of your league and that your relationship was rather nauseating, and you felt the same about my relationship with Hannah – yet both were short lived they really put a damper on our relationship. Because we were only in those relationships because we were too stubborn to admit how we felt for each other. We'd rather hurt each other and ourselves than fix what was broken between us. I broke it off with Hannah because she wasn't you just like Jill – they weren't you.

When I broke it off with Hannah I thought that maybe it was our time again but you were still not ready. You still looked out for me whether it was for a mission or choices I had to make you were still there. So, after a mission where I saved Shaw's ass. I knew that I had to lay all my cards out on the table again and see where they landed. I found you in Castle and I gave it my all. I knew that I had already given this speech before but I had to be clear that you knew how I felt. So I had to be very blunt and honest. I told you that "I loved you." I remember that I said it several times because it felt good to say that I loved you. I knew that I was getting out of hand but I knew that you were right in Prague that we were right for each other and that I had made a mistake not going with you. I knew then but it was a little too late. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you – go on a world win vacation – even see the Eiffel Tower at some point. I recall that you looked nervous so I kissed you and I left hoping that you would show up at the train station. As I waited Shaw took you and I didn't know where you were. Shaw had taken you to a place where you found out that you had killed his wife during your red test.

You were all alone with Shaw but you had managed to set your beckon off that allowed me to find you. So when I got wind that Shaw wasn't really who he said he was I took matters into my own hands and did some crazy things to protect you. Let's just say an army tank isn't always the way to go in rescuing someone. I felt that I had failed in rescuing you when you really didn't need rescuing at all. Shaw made it look like that you were safe with him and that what I did was stupid but anyone would have done the same thing for a member of their team. Shaw had a way to build you up then knock you down all at the same time. I left Castle and went home to bury my burdens for another failed attempt in getting you back, because I felt that Shaw had other plans for you. I guess that I had watched to many movies about the damsel in distress.

So with a few glasses of Whiskey and a carton of ice cream I tried to forget that night and if I was lucky enough even you. Then I looked up and saw you standing at my front door. I wasn't sure why you came by maybe it was another speech about me jumping to conclusion and ruining your time with Shaw. You sat down beside me on the stairs and I had – had enough I was not drunk because the ice cream had sobered me up a bit. I looked at you and at that point I didn't care anymore how you felt about me. If you wanted to be with Shaw then fine but I had to try once more. So I looked at you and told you that I forgot to ask you something in Castle. You waited to hear what I had to say. I told you that I loved you but I forgot to ask you if you loved me. There I said it now I waited to hear what you had to say. After a few awkward minutes you told me that you loved me and had loved me for a very long time. You said that the day that I disarmed the bomb was the day that you fell in love with me.

Sarah that was like the first night.

That was the best moment of my life – but of course our lives can't end that easily. Shaw still wasn't done with you – he took you to Paris for some fake lead on the Ring. Which really bumped me out because that was my dream for us.

I found you in Paris and saved you from that mad man. I even ended up shooting Shaw – one thing that I thought I would never do and that was kill a man with a gun. But it was you I had to protect – I couldn't have him take you away from me knowing how we really felt for each other.

The next morning you awoke in a Paris hotel room recovering from a drug that Shaw had given you. You wanted to know what had happened the night before so I told you that I shot Shaw because he had threatened you. You replied by saying that I saved you – which was true but I wasn't proud that I had killed a man. When you love someone you do crazy things – I was sitting on your bed rambling when you told me to kiss you – we managed to cut ties with Beckman and when our lips met again that was it – we made love for the very first time in a hotel in Paris and it was more that I would have ever dreamt about or could feel. Our life was complete. Our love had helped us to over come a lot of barriers, relationships and each other.

We went on a short lived adventure and returned to Burbank where our missions took on a different light. Yes we were love but it allowed us to continue to be spies and be together. Unfortunately our dream of having it all and living happily ever after took a turn when Shaw came back. He didn't die which was unfortunate. He came back for revenge but we were able to knock him down. I decided after that night with Shaw I had to get out of the spy life. So I told Beckman that I was out. Me being in the spy life was hurting too many people and putting my loved ones in jeopardy. So I quit. Life wasn't too bad, we were living together and were very much in love but you going on missions without me hurt. I couldn't protect you like I wanted to and you were gone for several weeks at a time. You and Casey continued working together so I knew that you were in good hands. After a few twists and turns and I rejoined the CIA – Beckman seemed very happy – almost like one of her children had come home.

I returned to mission work and got myself in a bit of hot water that had you looking for me in all over the world. I really scared you that time – you feared the worse. You actually thought that I could have been seriously injured or even dead. I had been taken and was forced to have the intersect and my memories moved from my brain. But this method wasn't working because my mom had suppressed the intersect to save me from a man called Volkoff. My mom's story well I will save that for another time. Anyways when you finally found me I wasn't a moment to soon – you saved me from a life with out memories – with out memories of you, us, what we had – if you were a minute later – all would have been lost. Yes my memories were like cottage cheese – but you were able to help me get back what was lost. And even to this day I thank you for that. We returned home and I found out that while I was gone you had come across my plans to ask you to marry me. We couldn't have that could we – so I had to come up with a another plan. So when I had another plan set in motion it again backfired because you got arrested for treason – but before you freak out – it was Beckman's way to get a man called Volkoff captured. Volkoff was the guy that my mom had been with – again long story for another time. But in order to bring him down you had to go to the dark side for a while.

This mission put a strain on our relationship and the longer you were undercover the more I felt that I was losing you – losing us. But fate has a way of working itself out – you were rescued and brought back were together we waited for Ellie to give birth to Clara. As we waited to hear I took the opportunity and put my proposal plan aside. I got down on one knee in a wing of a hospital and asked you to marry me. We got married on beautiful Saturday afternoon and headed off on a wonderful honeymoon. Married life was going great – we decided to head up our own business – mostly freelance stuff – we had a few positive missions but with all that we had done it couldn't continue that way. There was always something that was preventing us from going forward. I didn't have the intersect and you and I were happy and content about that. You were still the kick ass spy as you were and I was using my other gifts of that a computer whiz. Casey and Morgan joined us and we called our business Carmichael Industries.

But our last mission is where we are right now. Quinn forced you to lose your memories. Everything that you had created and cherished had been removed from your life. One moment you're full of life and in a blink of an eye you can't recall the last few years of your life.

You need to know that uploading the intersect wasn't your fault – I did it several times. What the worst part was that one man took advantage of you to get back at me. Again I hurt you because you were protecting me as you always did. My existence, my past, this curse was again hurting the people that I loved and cared about. Now you and I sit here trying to make sense of it all. I have told you all that I can think of about your past, our past. I don't know what is going on in your head right now, but I want you to know that you once you said to me that I was a gift that you didn't deserve but was thankful for. I want you to know that being thankful for what you have you'll always end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have you'll never ever have enough.

Sarah got up after hearing their story. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying. Chuck followed and waited to see what she would do. Sarah had heard a lot and had to comprehend all that Chuck had said. She asked for all that she had just heard. She had no idea that their relationship was that intense and full of so many ups and downs. Poor Chuck she thought – he wasn't lying when he told her that he loved her in 'their house.' Sarah placed her hands near her eyes and wiped the tears that had continued to fall. For someone that never cried she was doing a lot of it. Chuck waited – that was all he could do was wait. Sarah didn't know what to do – she wanted something to happen. Could she go with her gut and turn around and have Chuck hold her –Would he be willing to hold her? She didn't have the right to ask him to hold her, did she? They weren't technically together but in a weird way they still were.

Chuck continued to stick around and Sarah had as well. Now only time would tell how things would end up. Was Chuck willing to let her go? Was Sarah willing to fight for what she had with Chuck even if she didn't remember anything? She had the facts and now she had his side of the story. But every story has two sides. Would the coin spin long enough to allow her to remember her side before the coin fell. Would, Chuck really stick around this time? He almost gave up many times before, would this time be any different.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is another chapter of my version of the finale of Chuck.**

** Thanks goes out to MRW for her amusing ideas and suggestions for this chapter as well as the next**

**I don't own Chuck but now that it not airing it's anyones RIGHT!**

**This have not been proofed, ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW**

**Chapter 4 – Objects may appear closer than you think**

Sarah continued to wrap her mind over what she had just heard from Chuck. Hearing their story was as foreign to her as was hearing herself talk back to her with her daily logs. Sarah wanted to believe that 'this' was just a mission that her last five years got out of hand and she had let her barriers down. It would make more sense to her and she could be able to comprehend it much better. But how could she explain the detail, the feelings, this life that was created in those five years. No CIA planned mission is that good. There was no way that someone could have made this up. Planted all these people in her life. Created the dialogue, the missions, the interactions, the friendships the love? No one could have made up Chuck. Chuck was the real thing. Sarah wiped another tear, her head spinning from all the crying. She looked to her left and as on cue there was Chuck. Lately he looked like a lost puppy that had lost his friend but Chuck was determined, she had to give him credit for that. No one in her past, even Bryce whom she recalled wasn't the greatest choice or relationship she had been in. She knew that Chuck was different. But how could she give him what he was giving to her when she wasn't sure how she felt about him. There had to be something, cause why would she be thinking so much about him.

The sun's heat dried up the tears that had fallen, and the warmth warmed a chilly Sarah. Sarah had wrapped her arms around her to hold the heat of the sun in. Chuck didn't have to be asked or told. He knew what she wanted but he also knew that she wouldn't have asked him for anything, because she didn't know how. Chuck walked up and stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Chuck waited to she if she would accept his comfort. Sarah never declined, and she wasn't scared either. She was shocked that it felt so familiar to her, but why? She knew why but was afraid that what she was feeling wasn't what was told to her but it was something that she had felt many times before. A distorted image ran through her mind of an exact moment like this – she felt this hold of Chuck's arm before, but where, when would this have happened.

Sarah basked in this safety net for a little while longer. But she knew she had to give Chuck an answer or even a question for that matter. She placed her hands on Chuck's arms as he continued to hold her. She caressed his arms as she leaned forward to release herself from his hold. She turned around to look at him. She looked up – she was glad that they were standing in sand cause she was able to stand somewhat eye to eye to him, and that she didn't have to wear those heels.

"Chuck."

"Yeah!"

"First of all, thank you for sharing our story with me."

Chuck nodded.

"There are a lot of pieces of the story that I need to figure out, to even digest."

"Totally, would you like to hear more?"

"There's more?"

"Always – our life and what we had created and been through? There are so many more stories to share with you. Five years Sarah. Five years that can't be forgotten or ignored."

"Wow and I thought that what you told me was it!"

"You could say that our love story was like every Disney movie, mixed with all Mission Impossible movies, and a dash of Indiana Jones, Drakes Deception (video game), Officer and Gentleman, Spies Like Us, and the Titanic. Which we didn't do a lot of boating together but we were destined to be together even when the out side world didn't think that we should, we were a love story."

Sarah smiled at Chuck's rambling, she found it kind of cute, but she had to focus.

"Chuck, like I said I am glad that you told me our story but. You need to let me."

Chuck feared the worst, was she going to tell him that he needed to let her go, forget about her, she said that once before and look how that ended up.

"Chuck, I know how you feel about me and I told you how I feel as well. I have sat here on our spot to hear our story, seen the pictures, and heard others talk about us. I've even sat to listen to my own words describe our life, and what we had. But I need time to figure this out, you, me, and us? I need you to understand that it's not you or one thing. IT'S A LOT OF THINGS but it's not you cause I know how you feel. I know what you want; it's just that I can't commit to something that I don't have trust in anymore. And if I did what good could I bring to this already fragile relationship. I don't trust myself and I need to find that trust, and a whole lot more that is missing."

"So what are you saying, Sarah?"

"I need you to give me time."

"Sure a few hours, days?"

"Chuck your so sweet, but I can't put a time on this, I can't and it's not fair for you to anticipate a time, or even wait for a time. Because I don't know when that exact time will happen?"

"So you're leaving?"

Sarah knew that the next few words that were going to come out of her mouth would either tame his restless heart or add several more cracks to an already breaking heart.

Sarah looked at Chuck and placed her hand in his and caressed the back of his palm, a touch that came natural to her. Another added mystery to this whole Chuck and Sarah relationship.

" Yes, I need to go, but I promise you that one day when I figure all of this out in my head and it is no longer a dichotomy between what my heart feels for you and what I should feel. You will be the first to know."

Sarah caressed his face and brought her lips to him. Chuck knew that this kiss would be his last, for a little while. Deep down Chuck knew that she was going to leave either way. But he had to give her a big thank you for not running away like he thought she would have last night. At least she was telling him that she was leaving on her terms. That she was telling him the truth. Even though it paned him to hear that she was leaving, the worse part was that he would miss her smile, her touch. Chuck knew that the restless old Sarah was still there. Chuck had just tamed the she male in her but with or without their memories he couldn't make her stay. He knew, he just knew.

As their lips continue to enthral all the passion they had at that moment, they both knew that their kisses were more than two bodies one soul, but something magical that neither could figure out.

Chuck broke this kiss cause he knew that if he'd continued it would be too hard to let her go later. Chuck took his fingers and lightly brushed Sarah's hair away from her eyes and tucked it around her ears. He smiled trying to hide how he really felt. He brought her head forward and kissed her forehead. Sarah felt a tear run down her face.

She looked at him and wiped the tear.

"I'll be ok."

"I know, you were always able to take care of yourself, I guess it's the stubbornness that you were born with. But you can't deny the fact that I will miss you."

"Chuck honestly a part of me will miss you as well. But if I don't go now it will just be harder later when I start to…."

Sarah started to walk away. "Start to what Sarah?"

"Chuck don't."

Chuck caught up to her and grabbed her arm and turned her around. "Start to what Sarah!"

"Chuck, I can't."

Sarah looked at Chuck's hand then looked up at him. Chuck released his grip on Sarah's arm.

"Talk to me!"

"You take care, and let me come to you."

Those words haunting yet at the same time hopeful. Sarah took one last look and headed towards to the road. Chuck watched as his life disappeared like sands through an hourglass, one blink then she was gone.

Chuck entered their apartment like he had done thousands of times before but this time he knew that Sarah wouldn't be sitting by the fountain. Walking out of their bedroom wearing the most interesting outfits. She wouldn't be snuggled safe in his arms as they fell asleep. She wouldn't laugh at his jokes, she wouldn't be apart of anything. Morgan and Alex came by regularly and Chuck's phone bill to Chicago was definitely racking up the minutes as well. But neither of them could tell Chuck what he wanted to hear. Chuck was tempted to call Casey on several occasions to 'share' his feelings but he knew that Casey was out there chasing Gertrude, and probably finding her in some knife fight in Jakarta.

Chuck thought of Sarah constantly, everything he touched, smelled or tasted reminded him of her and the pain he felt was too much.

Things did turn around when General Beckman informed him that the CIA was able to unfreeze their monies that Decker had taken from them. Chuck was pleased, but being a millionaire for some would be all that they would want but his riches and what meant to him the most was Sarah. She was worth more than any penny that Chuck was now holding. Beckman continued to keep in touch with Chuck, and every time he saw her number come up, he hoped that she had news about Sarah. But every time she said no.

Hours were turning into days and days were turning into weeks.

Chuck hadn't shaved and was sporting some facial hair and he was letting his hair grow longer. He recalled that last time he had a beard – it was after he was fired in Prague. He remembered that he was at a low point and Sarah wasn't giving him the time of day. But things started to look up when he had a stern chat with Carina. Carina had told him to snap out of his depressing mood and get back to normal. Chuck recalled the words that Carina said to him. That Sarah was in love with him. To hear those words after he made a fool of himself and lost her because of Prague he knew he had a chance.

Hotel in Nice France

Sarah sat staring out at the Mediterranean. She had been on a mission that she asked to be on when she left Chuck. Beckman wasn't to keen on Sarah jumping back into the field so soon after the Quinn incident, and she definitely didn't like lying to Chuck about Sarah's were abouts. She didn't like being in the middle but she knew from past experiences with these two the less they knew the safer they would be. So, Beckman granted Sarah this reprieve. Sarah watched as the waves rolled in and out and the smell of sea air waffled around her. She wished that Chuck was there. Not because she remembered anything more but the fact that he would be there and beside her. Made Sarah feel that having Chuck near her made her feel safer somehow. Even though she was a tough as nails CIA agent, apart of her needed to be taken care of.

Sarah had just gotten off the phone with Beckman when Beckman threw in one last comment.

"Chuck's doing ok, he's growing a beard and letting his hair grow, it brings back a lot of memories, I didn't think that a long haired agent would work but Chuck made it work. He misses you Sarah."

Sarah held the phone in her hand and whispered 'I miss you to Chuck.'

Sarah walked back to her hotel room and was entering the main doors off of the pool area when a faint voice of an angel was singing a familiar song. The words to that song stopped Sarah in her tracks, that song; those words had forced her to recall where she had heard that song before. Sarah never really cared for music or had any interest in music that is one thing she remembered. So why would that song have such an impact on her. _"You know how I feel, it's a new dawn, it's a new day a new life for me…. and I'm feeling good" _

Sarah got into the elevator and thought that it was one of those common elevator songs but as she ascended up to her floor – the whole song sang in the background. When the songs ended a voice came on _"__qui était__bon sentiment__de Nina Simone __("That was Nina Simone's Feeling Good")_

The elevator doors opened and Sarah headed down the hall to her room. It had been a long day and Sarah was ready for bed. She got herself ready and lay on her bed thinking of only one person. It would be mid afternoon in LA, and Sarah wondered what Chuck looked like in a beard. She had seen pictures of him with longer hair and found him quite attractive but with a beard that was something she wouldn't mind seeing. As Sarah dozed off the words of the song rang in her head.

Sarah was never a morning person even if she was on missions. Her alarm clock went off disturbing a subtle quiet moment of peace. _I wished that I had a knife to throw at that darn alarm clock; it felt good that last time. _Sarah sat up why would she have said that. She would never wasted a perfect knife on anything that didn't need it so why would an innocent alarm clock get the blunt end of a sharp object? Did she dream that once? Did it happen to her? Sarah tried to figure these images in her head, last night the song was familiar to her when it shouldn't have and now the issue with the alarm clock?

She was glad that she was done her mission and was now relaxing in Nice but her mission retrieve would only be short lived. Sarah begged Beckman to keep her busy. Now that Graham was killed she didn't have her main man so to speak to keep her busy and her last mission well it took 5 years of her life. As Sarah got dressed in her one of her amazing bikini's she struck a pose in the mirror that had her remembering that she had worn this particular one before. Did Chuck and her go somewhere that warranted a bikini like this? Did she buy this one for her or because Chuck liked it?

Sarah shrugged off the idea that she was remembering; it scared her to think that she could be remembering anything at all.

Sarah grabbed her towel and bag and headed to the poolside to catch some sun, and maybe have a day without thinking about one particular guy.

USA – Washington DC

Chuck had flown to DC wanting answers. He was tired of hearing Beckman's answers to his questions. Chuck was smart and he knew that she had to be holding something back. He could sense it. Chuck knocked on Beckman's office door. He remembered the last time he stood at these doors. He was being certified to be an agent much against Sarah's request. Chuck continued to beat himself up for becoming an agent, especially now when he had lost everything that was important to him, because of the intersect and being an agent. Chuck heard Beckman's voice giving him permission to enter.

Beckman stood up and walked over to greet Chuck. Chuck reached out his hand and Beckman obliged.

"A hand shake is not necessary Chuck."

"I know but I felt, well you know being here and all it was the right thing to do."

"Please sit! When I got your call that you were heading to DC, I was curious but at the same time I wondered how long it would take you to move on as well."

"General."

"Chuck, I think that we are way past that – me being addressed as General and you as agent Bartowski – it doesn't have the same ring, does it?"

"No, General, sorry Diane."

"Much better. So what brings you to sunny, cold DC?"

"I was wondering if you had anything on the location of the last bit of information that, Quinn had mentioned. I know that he wasn't CIA and I know that he had to be working for someone, Shaw? Decker? Did my dad know him? He told me that I stole the intersect from him but how could I when it was sent to me by Bryce after my dad told him where to find it?"

"And?"

"And what?"

"There's got to be more, you have been in my office for 5 mins and you haven't brought her up?"

"Ok, I had a hidden agenda, but don't get me wrong. All of those questions, I want answers for them, cause I know that they will help me to get Sarah back, as well as her memories. I know that you know more than you're letting on, and I don't blame you. But if you know where my wife is I would like to know?"

"She was afraid that you would say that?"

"I could tell that she knew that you would come by one day asking for her? I don't want say that I don't know where she is cause I do."

Chuck sat up in his chair.

"But she told me that if you came by, I was suppose to tell you that she was fine, that she was doing ok. She asked to go back out on missions. That part of her memories was never affected. She's a good spy."

"I know that she is but I also know that being a spy is only apart of her being, she is so much more."

"So what do you want to know? And if I tell you your not going to hunt her down are you?"

"No, I promised her that I would let her come to me and I will try to stick to that, but if by chance, indirectly I was to, maybe get a word to her, talk to her."

"Chuck!"

"You can't blame me for trying."

"No I can't, and I commend you in being persistent, to hang onto her."

Chuck nodded.

"So, you think that Quinn had help?"

"I do Diane, I also know that my dad's collection of data, files etc were blown up by Volkoff but my dad was smart and a little paranoid. So, I was wondering if I could have a few minutes with your computer and have access to your database? I know that my dad hid some files here that no one has found yet. I have been at the cabin and all my leads have led me here. Kind of pays to have lot of money, money does buy what you want, well most of the time."

Chuck waited to see what Diane was going to do, and if she was going to allow him access. Chuck knew that his dad wouldn't have let things like this happen. He saved him once from the grave after his mom suppressed the intersect a year ago, Chuck knew that he is dad would save him once more. Diane got up from her desk and straightened up her jacket. Walked past Chuck and reached for the doorknob.

"You have one hour, I'm going for lunch and would like a coffee when upon my return?"

Chuck smiled as he got up and walked over to Diane and gave her a kiss on the cheek, thank you and yes."

Diane smiled and left her office. Chuck ran to the computer and started searching for his dad's hidden files. Chuck quickly set up a fire wall for his eyes and ears only that wouldn't set off any alarms with him hacking into the CIA's system. And as far as the CIA was concerned IT guys would only see that General Beckman's computer was just doing regular everyday stuff and nothing more. Chuck quickly hooked up his external drive to Beckman's system and ran a cross analysis on any word or phrase that he could think about that was connected to his dad. Chuck ran operation Omaha and Cygnus as well as Hydra, and the original files from Bryce's email. Chuck still was holding onto that information that he hadn't shared with Sarah when Sarah asked him 5 years ago if he had backed up any of his files from his computer. Sarah didn't know that he had them routed to a file at the BuyMore under the file Zork. It was either that or set up file in another country hidden in a secret spot tucked away in a mountainside. Read that, Chuck thought to himself that somewhere, hidden away from the world, a hidden base full of secrets, and, that the only access was to climb up and into it from the outside. A great idea but when would he get out there to manage it. Egypt sounded nice but way too far away, maybe next time, maybe another mission per chance. Or better yet save it for some writer to come up with for a fiction novel or something. Maybe if spying didn't work, he could dwell into the world of writing. He did have a great imagination.

Chuck laughed at the idea and started to refocus on his main objective. Chuck opened up the intel from the Zork file and as soon as the files appeared, his automated web search went into action. Chuck was surprised that it had made a connection so fast. Chuck brought up the files that his dad indeed had hidden within the walls of the CIA. Chuck didn't know how long these files had been hidden but it had to be over 20 years. And no one had found them. Chuck observed a little further and noticed that his dad had made arrangements to have the file names changed every 3 months. I guess to ward off CIA eyes, Chuck thought. Chuck opened the files and copied them to his main frame; to be safe of course he re named them Beckman's favourite songs. He quickly opened the file that was named intersect. Chuck read what his dad had wrote about the intersect; there was a lot of data that his dad had created. Things from the governor to suppressing and reactivating the intersect to regaining lost memories. 'Bingo'! Chuck answered. "Ok dad what do you have for me?"

Just then Beckman entered with Chuck's coffee.

Chuck was about to get up and give Beckman back her desk. "No please sit. Here's your coffee."

"Thanks." As Chuck took a sip.

"So what did we find?"

"I was right my dad did hid some files but I rehid them, just to be safe."

"Sure, but you wouldn't have a copy of them on your Ipad." Beckman looking at Chuck's Ipad.

"No maam, never."

"So, is there anything that is helpful?"

"Maybe I need to read through his files in more depth. I am hoping that my dad expected this to happen to me or someone else so I hope that he prepared himself with a program to reverse the damage or lost memories."

Chuck got up from the desk. "I am staying at the Jefferson Hotel, I would like to discuss this further if you're interested in helping."

Beckman got up and walked over to Chuck. "You know I am. Call me in the morning and I'll meet with you."

Chuck was about to head to the hall. "Oh by the way Chuck, She's having a **'nice'** visit right now."

Chuck looked back at Beckman. "Thanks Diane. I hear that it's **'nice'** this time of year!"

The Jefferson Hotel 02:30 Washington DC

Chuck laid on his bed surround by hotel dishes and a large cup of Starbucks coffee – Chuck hit the jackpot when he heard that Star bucks made hotel house calls. Chuck took out his files from his briefcase and his pictures of Sarah and him. He had his favourites as did Sarah but his was when they were on their very first second date to the Chinese restaurant. Chuck remembered that he had grabbed his phone and took a picture of him and Sarah.

Chuck opened up his Ipad and continued reading where he left off – '_If the intersect is suppressed or memories are lost after a download the brain has the capabilities to restart itself by reprogramming what has been suppressed. The patient has to have had a suppressor used to delete their memories, but suppressor has to be used several times in order for patient to lose memories for good. If a suppressor was used for example like a flash card the brain only loses memories for that period of time – if several suppressors are used the brain may go into a lock down mode to protect any more damage. If patient has lost its memories entirely the brain has to be reprogram. This can be done with stories, data, pictures uploaded. In extreme cases the patient may need more than one session._ 'Ok dad that says something but there has to be something else that you're not telling me.'

Chuck read on '_Like the download of an intersect file the brain is able to hold a lot of data if given the right chemical make up. If patient does not have the right chemical make up and has downloaded a faulty intersect it can cause irreparable damage that may not be recovered. _"NO DAD NO!"

Chuck tossed his Ipad to the side. Chuck got up and walked over to the window. Chuck looked over to the White House and remembered Diane's and his conversation. Chuck also remembered that he promised Sarah that he would not come to her – and he was going to stick to that but he didn't say anything about having someone else do the work for him. But who would want a job like that. Chuck walked over to the bar and grabbed a water, twisted the cap and took a swig. "Carina!"

Chuck grabbed his phone and dialled her number.

"Hey Chuckles?"

"Hi Carina how are we?"

"Married life boring you already, ready for a real girl."

"Always a pleasure Carina. But this is a not that kind of call. You have a few minutes."

Carina was a little concerned when Chuck continued to talk.

"So what's up Chuck?"

Chuck informed Carina of the last few weeks and what had happened to Sarah. He continued to share his concerns and his promises of not going after her.

"But I am guessing that is why you are calling me?"

"Exactly!"

"Sarah wouldn't have forgotten you and I know that if she sees you then she wouldn't assume that it was me that sent you."

"So you want me to do what?"

"I don't really know but she needs to hear your side of our relationship. I need you to tell Sarah about us through your eyes and hopefully she'll remember something that wasn't already told to her or even for that matter recorded in one of her logs. She would trust you more than me at this point."

"I don't know Chuck, that's a lot for her to take in – plus why do you think she'll trust me? We weren't on the bestest of terms."

"But you did make up remember, for our wedding and you and her talked several times since then. Plus I didn't tell her that you had given her the USB drive about my love confession to her. She only knows what I told her about that day. Not your side of it."

There was a long pause that put fear into Chuck's heart. Would Carina be willing to help Chuck bring his wife back?

"So where is she?"

"Thank you, she's in Nice."

"Ok, I do my best."

"You don't know how much I appreciate this."

"I do Chuck, I know that you would do anything for her."

"Ok I have your plane ticket ready at Miami International – you can catch the morning flight to Nice. Then you can get a car. Just send me the bill, it's the least I can do."

"I will let you know when I arrive and when I find her."

"Thank you Carina, thank you."

Chuck ended his call and tossed the phone on his bed. Chuck walked over to the window. He wished Sarah a good morning as he stared out into the rush hour traffic of DC.

Car port Nice International Airport 12:00 hrs

Carina arrived in style as usual and walked up to the desk. She didn't have to say much to get people to notice her. Carina tapped the bell on the counter and a young male stood up, and instantly his jaw dropped to the floor. As he tried to pick up his lower lips, Carina put on the charm but for her it was as easy as breathing – it just came natural.

"Bonjour Puis-je aider ? (Hello, may I help you ?)

"Oui, je suis ici pour chercher une voiture ? " (Yes I am here to pick up a car)

"Quel nom voudriez-Que ce soit sous ? " (What name would it be under ? )

"CARINA, CARMICHAEL INDUSTRIES. " (Carina, Carmichael Industries.)

The nervous young man typed in the information into his computer and turned around grabbed the keys and placed them in Carina's hand.

"Y at-il autre chose? M. Carmicheal voulais moi de vous demander ce que quand vous êtes arrivé ? " (Is there anything else? Mr. Carmicheal wanted me to ask you that when you arrived ?)

"Oui, a un marcheur Sarah loué une voiture ici, et vous savez ce que l'hôtel, elle est de rester au ? " (Yes, has a Sarah Walker rented a car here, and would you know what hotel she is staying at ?)

The young man wasn't to keen on sharing that information but as he tried to resist Carina's looks, he caved.

"Le Palais de la Mediterranee "

" Merci vous avez été d'une grande aide pour moi (Thank you you have been a great help to me? "

Carina ran her finger down the side of the young man's cheek, turned on her heels and left to find her car. Carina sped off to find Sarah. Carina knew that this wasn't a mission like any other she had been on, but a mission to help a friend in need. Chuck and her didn't really see eye to eye at first but she knew that it took alot to win the heart of one Sarah Walker, and in order to that any guy would have to be very special. Sarah never fell for anyone for no reason. Bryce was just a need, an itch as Carina once describe their realtionship. Sarah wasn't like Carina who knew loved existed but she would like to explore more of the trial than error basis than allow someone to burn her heart, because one had 'feelings.'Plus Carina believed that spies should not fall in love. But as she got to know Chuck her opinions changed. There was something about Chuck that if Sarah didn't want him she would gladly take him on. Carina smiled as she drove along the coastline. _'Not bad Walker, nice place to hide, but why would you want to hide from Chuck ? '_

Sarah sat nursing another fruity drink. The sun bobbled in the sky, the heat felt good and having the opportunity to relax was long over due. Sarah grabbed her sun screen and coated her skin as best as she could. She happened to look over her shoulder and saw a young couple basking in the sun. The man leaned over and kissed the woman, whom Sarah thought could be his wife. The man grabbed the sun tan lotion and applied the lotion with some force to get a response from the woman. Sarah watched as she wondered if she and Chuck had moments like that. With the thought she had about the bikini, she wondered if that had been a intmate moment for them as well. Sarah put her sunglasses back on and laid back on her chair. Still wondering and questioning every thought that came into her mind. Her mind battled again between what she heard and what she could account for on her own. Sarah didn't like not having all the answers. She despised it even more when it had something to do with her. Others people's problems she could deal with but her own not so well. Sarah forward memories from the recesses of her mind on her growing up and what life she lead with her dad. Her life was full of lies and stretched truths, but she was always able to come up with some answers that made some sense, well at least enough to push her forward and not drown her in her own personal hell.

Carina drove up to the hotel and walked in the front lobby. She didn't want Sarah to know that she was there. For all Carina knew Sarah could have been long gone by now. Carina walked up to the front desk and asked if a Sarah Walker was registered at this Hotel. A older lady working the desk, eyed Carina. Carina took her sunglasses off and asked again if a Sarah Walker was registered at this particular Hotel. The older lady replied that they don't just give out that information. Carina asked again. But the older lady was not backing down. Another desk clerk noticed Carina legs I mean self standing at the desk. The man walked up to Carina interupting what was looking to be a cat fight and asked if he could be of some assistance. Carina repeated her question to the man. He wasn't sure at first if he should release that information. Carina leaned in and whispered in french _'She's a dear old friend and I haven't seen her in awhile, if you could help me find her, I would be forever grateful…..'_

The man swallowed hard as he watched Carina continue to flirt with him. The man nodded to the older lady behind the desk, giving her permission to release the information. The older lady begrudgingly caved and released that indeed Ms. Walker was staying at this Hotel, but would not give Carina her room number. Carina said thank you and headed to the outside. Carina grabbed her phone, as she walked along the promanade, she found a cafe' and sat down. As Carina scanned the beach and the crowds of people she dialed Chuck.

Chuck's phone rang and he ran to get it. It had to be one of two people, Beckman who decided to meet or Carina had found Sarah. Chuck was hoping for the latter.

"Chuck here? "

"Hey, I just arrived and I found out what Hotel she's staying at but they wouldn't give me her room number. I have been walking around scanning the promenade. "

As Carina continued to talked to Chuck. As she scanned, she noticed a blonde about Sarah's height standing up and collecting her things.

" Chuck I think that I have found her, hang on as I take a picture."

Carina snapped a photo of this woman, and as she resumed the call Carina verified that it was indeed Sarah. Chuck looked at the photo when he received it.

" Yea that's her, did she see you? "

" No I don't think so, plus if she doesn't remember you, she's not going to remember me within those last five years either? If that's the case we would not have seen each other for like 6 years then."

" Right, so you need to use that, you're a spy, you're smart you will figure something out! I need her to hear from you everything about us, about you joining us on missions. I am desperate Carina. "

" Ok Chuckles I will do my best. I will call you later, I have spying to do. "

Carina said her goodbyes and headed to the Hotel again. This time she walked into the bar, she was pulling at straws but Carina was hoping that Sarah had ordered something from the bar or even the restaurant. Carina waited and ordered a drink. As Carina nursed the drink the hours passed by. When Carina noticed the time, the bar phone rang. The bar man picked it up the phone.

'Bonjour ? Oui Une bouteille de Chardonnay rouge, un chef qui est spécial à la salle 1441 – Madame Walker (A bottle of Chardonnay red, and one chef's special to room 1441 – Ms Walker)

Carina smiled and left the bar. Carina waited and watched the waiter walk up to the elevator with the order to room 1441. Carina followed the man. Carina waited in the shadows as the waiter knocked on the door. Carina watched as Sarah opened the door and walked out and scanned the hall in both directions. She grabbed the tray.

'' Merci ''

The waiter nodded and returned to the elevator. Carina slipped out of the hotel and headed across the street. Carina walked up to the desk and asked for a room that faced the beach, and was on the 4th floor. That would give Carina a level playing field. Carina walked into her room and walked over to the window. Carina scanned the beach and looked up. As she scanned she found Sarah's room almost directly across from hers.

Carina turned around '' Je vais le prendre'' (I will take it !'')

**The door closed behind her and Carina set up her equipment. Carina turned on her audio surveillance and listened. Sarah had finished the bottle well most of it and got ready for bed. Sarah scanned the horizon and had no idea or she didn't care that someone was watching her. Sarah closed the curtain, crawled into bed, and secretly wished Chuck a good night.**

Carina awoke to the slamming of a hotel door. Carina looked through her binoculars and noticed that Sarah's room was empty. Carina grabbed her stuff and headed out the door. Carina noticed Sarah climbing into her rented car. Carina asked for her car. As Sarah drove off, Carina was not too far behind. Sarah drove past the coastline and drove for several miles. Basking in the sun as the wind blew her hair behind her. Carina tried to stay back about 30 ft just to be on safe side. Carina had to come up with a way that she could still observe Sarah but also keep her distance. Sarah pulled off to the side of the road and Carina drove past. Carina watched Sarah get out of her car and headed to a beachside store. Carina made a u – turn and drove back and parked a few feet from the store. Sarah shopped around, bought a few things, fruit, bread, cheeses, wine and chocolate. Carina commented on the chocolate 'things must be pretty bad the old Sarah didn't like chocolate. Maybe this was the present Sarah coming out. Carina texted Chuck.

'Does Sarah like chocolate ?'

'She loves it, especially with strawberries, Y ?'

'She just bought some chocolate now?' 'but the old Sarah disliked Choc'

'this is a good thing, anything else 2tell?'

'pretty quite goin 2 watch her 4 awhile'

'had u decided what ur goin 2 do'

'still working on that' ' I need her 2 think that we have not seen each other 4 some time'

'ok pls keep me posted'

'will do'

Carina put her phone down on the seat beside her and watched Sarah drive off back onto the road. Carina ducked as Sarah drove passed her. Carina turned into the traffic and followed Sarah. Sarah stopped off at a roadside port and walked down to the docks. Carina watched from the roadside as Sarah paid for a ticket and climbed aboard a small ferry. Carina waited for the ferry to exit. Carina knew that there was only one way to the island that the ferry was heading to so Carina waited to catch the next one going out.

Carina arrived 15 mins later – she was glad that she took the other ferry cause Sarah never stood still the whole time. Carina watched with her binoculars, trying to blend in as a tourist. But her looks got more viewing than what she was doing herself. Carina tried to blend in and watch Sarah taken in the sights of the little French Island. Carina headed back before Sarah to watch her as she headed back herself. Sarah climbed off the ferry and looked up as Carina ducked around the corner. 'Phew I hope she didn't see me.'

Sarah looked up again and saw no one. Maybe Sarah was seeing things, maybe it was the sun but she swore that someone was watching her, really watching her.

Sarah walked towards the direction that she swore she saw someone. When Sarah came around the corner, Carina had jumped in her car. Sarah composed herself and walked over to her car. Sarah returned to the hotel as Carina was coming out of her car. Sarah scanned the area. She had that spy sense triggering something. Like when the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, Sarah's were telling her that something wasn't right.

Carina knew that she had to make herself known. She couldn't avoid hiding in the shadows for long. Carina was a good spy but Sarah was even better. Carina decided that the next morning she would make herself known.

Carina woke up early and headed to the outdoor market, hoping that Sarah would 'stumble' upon her. If she did, Carina wouldn't really have to explain herself, would she?

Carina patiently walked through the stalls looking at the local artwork, jewellery, and clothing. Carina looked up and noticed Sarah walking in as if on cue. 'Ok Carina now how are you going to play this – as far as this Sarah knows, we have not seen each other for almost 6 years. Carina followed a group of tourist and tried to get noticed by Sarah. When Carina believed that Sarah had made eye contact, Carina headed out towards the promenade. Sarah being curious followed. Carina knowing Nice quite well headed in and out of the narrow streets and stores. Watching as Sarah took the bait. Carina ducked into a small bookstore and as Sarah approached the entrance Carina headed out the back door. Carina headed back to her hotel. Carina had planted the seed. She knew that Sarah had taken the bait. Now all Carina had to do was wait to see what Sarah would do with it. Take a bite or toss it aside.


	5. Chapter 5

**So here is ch 5 - took a little turn on this chapter and invited a dear friend MsRomancewriter to co write this chapter with me.**

**We have done this before so it's nothing new for us to write together - the only problem is the time difference.**

**It's a little different than my regular style/work but MRW's added creativity and talent I respect and admire. So kudos buddy for**

**working on this chapter with me when at times it wasn't smooth sailing. So I hope that you all enjoy and review. Ch 13 of Unknown is in progress if there are those out there wondering.**

**I don't own Chuck yet again. ENJOY! **

**Chapter 5 – On the Surface**

**Cours Saleya**

**Nice, France**

**12:30**

Carina strolled through _Cours Saleya_, Nice's most traditional square, pausing every now and then to check out the stalls. Sarah hadn't taken the bait yesterday which meant spending another day in the market waiting to see if she came back. Hopefully today would be more productive because she was getting tired of explaining to Chuck why she had to let Sarah come to her. It made her sad to think that Sarah's last memory of her was of the time the CAT Squad had failed to apprehend their arch nemesis, Augusto Gaez, in Milan. She was sure that Sarah still held a grudge about what she thought had happened on that mission because she had no memory of them arresting Amy last year when they'd found out she was the mole working with Gaez.

Carina paused outside the book store then climbed the stairs that ran parallel to the store. She sat down on the top step and surveyed the market square. She'd discovered yesterday that this was the perfect spot to stake out the stalls even if it did leave her somewhat exposed to the throng of midday shoppers. The skimpy outfit she'd worn started to attract a fair bit of male attention which amused her for a while until her skin started to burn in the hot sun and she cursed herself for not packing her sunscreen. When she glanced at her watch again she realized that she'd already been sitting there for an hour and there was still no sign of Sarah. As the afternoon wore she started to wonder why passersby were giving her disapproving looks.

A young dark haired French girl suddenly paused at the bottom of the stairs and called, _"Parlez-vous français?"_

_"Oui," _Carina replied indicating that she spoke French.

_"__Vous commencez à ressembler à un homard,"_ the young girl said giving the red-headed agent a sheepish smile.

Carina looked down at her arms and legs and realized that the girl was right. She did indeed look like a lobster. She smiled, shrugged her shoulders and said, "I think it's time I went back to my hotel." When the young girl gave her a quizzical look Carina realized that she didn't speak English so she translated, "_Je pense qu'il est temps que je suis retourné à mon hôtel."_

The young girl smiled and nodded her agreement before calling, _"Au revoir,"_ and continuing down the street.

"_Au revoir_," Carina replied then went back to inspecting her sunburned limbs. She had applied sunscreen before leaving the hotel but after sitting in the hot sun for a couple of hours her once pale skin had turned a vibrant shade of pink. She grabbed the wrought iron railing and pulled herself up deciding that she was done for the day. Sarah would have to wait until tomorrow. She was halfway across the square when she suddenly spotted her blonde friend perusing one of the market stalls. She quickly positioned herself in front of a flower stall far enough away not to be conspicuous but not too far that Sarah wouldn't notice her. As soon as they made eye contact she ducked into a nearby alleyway and waited to see if Sarah followed her. Her mouth fell open when Sarah turned and headed in the opposite direction. _This is getting ridiculous Carina thought to herself. _Annoyed that she had failed to make contact with the blonde agent yet again she crossed the street and headed back to her hotel.

**Hotel Le Negresco**

**Promenade Des Anglais, Nice**

**14:30**

The enormous black and gold statues that lined both sides of the lobby were so ridiculously over the top that Carina couldn't help but smile every time she walked past them. She wondered what the decorator had been thinking putting so many grotesque statues in the lobby. She jammed the button for the elevator and looked around as she waited for it to arrive. Her smile turned to a scowl when she noticed some of the guests staring at her. _What was it with people today? She was a sunburned redhead not a freak of nature! _Ten minutes later she strode into her room feeling more than a little ticked off. She dropped her bag on the bed and headed to the bathroom. Her skin was starting to hurt so she turned the shower's dial to cold and left it running while she picked out an outfit for dinner then she grabbed her toiletry bag and headed back to the bathroom. She'd barely taken two steps when she caught sight of a shadowy reflection on the balcony's glass sliding door. She slowly slid her hand into her toiletry bag and her fingers closed around her straighteners just as the shadowy figured lunged at her.

Carina landed a few well placed punches in her assailants stomach and was rewarded with a soft grunt but in the blink of an eye the tables turned and she was suddenly on the receiving end of those punches one of which momentarily stunned her when it connected with her jaw. She lay on the floor trying to catch her breath but when she saw her attacker jump up she grabbed her straighteners and lassoed the black-clad body silently congratulating herself when her assailant fell to the floor with a thud. She quickly crawled over to the body on all fours, tore off the balaclava and breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized Sarah. _Finally! she thought._

"Carina?" Sarah croaked still winded from her fall.

"Blondie," Carina grinned. "Long time no see."

"Judging by the accuracy of your aim I'm guessing that this wasn't the first time you've used these as a weapon," Sarah said as she untied the chord wrapped around her ankles and handed the straighteners back to Carina.

"A good spy makes use of whatever resources are available," Carina replied with a smile. "You know that."

Sarah nodded. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that question seeing as this is my hotel room," Carina countered. "What's with the cloak and dagger entrance?"

"Just giving you a taste of your own medicine," Sarah replied her smile turning into a grin. "I seem to recall you attacking me in my hotel room a while back."

"Well played," Carina said surprised that Sarah had remembered the incident which had happened five years ago not long after she'd been assigned to protect Chuck.

Sarah looked around the room then back at Carina. "What are you doing in Nice?"

"I'm on vacation," Carina replied thinking that the only good thing that had come out of her sunburn was the fact that it actually supported her lie. "How about you?"

"Vacation," Sarah lied deciding that it was safer to play her cards close to her chest until she figured out whether the red-headed spy was telling her the truth.

Carina tossed her straighteners aside and stood up offering Sarah a helping hand then she padded into the bathroom, turned off the shower, grabbed two small towels and walked over to the mini bar. She filled both with ice and handed one to Sarah. "For the swelling."

"Thanks," Sarah said wincing a little as she pressed the makeshift icepack against her cheek just below her right eye.

Carina held the icepack against her jaw for a moment then walked back over to the mini bar and filled two small glasses with scotch. It had become a tradition of theirs to douse their injuries with something that would help soothe the pain and nothing did it better than scotch. She handed one of the glasses to Sarah then curled up in the chair by the window and sipped her drink. "Sorry about the eye."

"Sorry about the jaw," Sarah countered. "It's a pity I don't have a piece of raw meat."

"Why?" Carina asked frowning a little.

"I'm not sure," Sarah admitted. She had a fuzzy memory of using raw meat to reduce the swelling on her cheek but couldn't remember exactly when or why she'd done that.

Carina noticed the confusion in Sarah's eyes and realized that another memory had partly surfaced. It had to be a good sign if tiny pieces of her memory were starting to come back.

"So the DEA finally allowed you to take a vacation?" Sarah asked dropping the towel on the bed and taking a sip of her scotch.

"They had no choice," Carina replied. "I've spent the best part of two years playing a seedy badass in Mexico and it was starting to get to me. As soon as I got the intel I needed to bust two major drug cartels I told the DEA that I needed a break both mentally and physically."

"I know what you mean," Sarah nodded. "Where were you before Mexico?"

"In the States actually," Carina replied deciding that it was the perfect opportunity to bring up the first mission she'd worked on with Team Bartowski to see if it sparked any memories for Sarah but she changed a few of the details. "I tracked down Peyman Alahi who was an international financier for an Afghan opium cartel. He was in possession of the Nadan-I-Noor diamond and intended to use it as collateral to secure surface-to-air missiles for an Afghan terrorist group. I stole the diamond and prevented the purchase of the twenty six million dollars worth of stinger missiles."

"Wow," Sarah said looking impressed. "I've heard of the Nadan-I-Noor diamond but always thought it was a myth. Just goes to show how wrong you can be."

Disappointed that the mission hadn't sparked any memories Carina asked, "So what have you been up to since I last saw you?"

Sarah sat back in her chair. Her memories were replaying scenes from her past like an old distorted film; the images were clear but they quickly faded almost as if the film was being melted. Carina was probably the only one besides Chuck who could possibly understand what she'd been through but still she hesitated. "I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you."

"Try me," Carina urged her. "I've pretty much heard it all so I'm sure that nothing you could say would shock me. Whatever assignment you were on, no matter how bad it was, I'm sure I can relate. We've all had them."

"I guess so," Sarah replied looking thoughtful.

"Was your last assignment really that bad?" Carina asked wondering if Sarah had remembered something about her assignment with Chuck and Casey.

_I don't know if it was good or bad Sarah thought to herself. According to my mission logs it was the best assignment I've ever had. At first it was just a job but as time went on it looked like a lot changed between her and Chuck. She changed. If only she could remember what had happened. _Without realizing it Sarah whispered, "I really don't remember and to be honest I'm not sure I ever will."

"Remember what?" Carina gently prompted.

"Nothing," Sarah replied her walls instantly going up again. She topped off her drink and stood up.

Carina knew that if she tried to push Sarah to talk it would only make her retreat further so she let the matter drop. She stood up. "We should go out and celebrate our reunion."

Sarah's face revealed none of her inner turmoil as she turned to Carina and smiled. "I think that's a great idea. How about I meet you downstairs in the lobby at eight o'clock?"

"Sounds like a plan," Carina agreed as she walked with Sarah to the door.

"You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face again," Sarah said turning to give her friend a heartfelt hug. Since losing her memories Carina was the only person she'd come into contract with, besides Casey, that she actually remembered. She had no idea if it was by luck or design that they'd ended up in the same place and she decided that she wasn't going to dwell on that thought. Spending time with someone she remembered reminded her that all was not lost in her life.

"Just like old times," Carina agreed returning her smile. She watched as Sarah walked down the corridor and disappeared around the corner then she closed the door and grabbed her phone.

**Echo Park, LA **

**08:00 **

Chuck rolled over when he heard his phone ringing. He'd taken a late night flight from Dulles to LAX and had finally collapsed on the couch around four this morning so it was with great difficulty that he forced his eyes open. When he saw what time it was he groaned; he was still exhausted after only four hours sleep. His sleeping patterns had taken a turn for the worse after Quinn kidnapped Sarah and ever since she'd left Burbank he'd been sleeping on the couch or in the spare room because he couldn't face sleeping in their bed without her.

Chuck buried his head underneath the pillow in an effort to drown out the incessant ringing. Within seconds his eyes drifted closed and he started to dream about Sarah as he always did when he slept on the couch. They had spent their last night eating pizza from Spyro's and watching cheesy eighties movies because Sarah hadn't seen most of the classics. They'd watched everything from Sixteen Candles to Top Gun but his favorite memory would always be of them watching Spies Like Us because every time they watched it Sarah took exception to the movie and never failed to point out how ridiculous the spies were or how many kinds of protocol they were breaking. Every time he was reminded of that night it made him smile and he knew that the movie would always hold a special place in his heart because it gave him such wonderful memories of Sarah. He'd made love to her that night while the movie had played in the background and afterwards they'd listened to Arcade on Fire as they reminisced about the early days when they'd first fallen in love.

When Chuck realized that the caller wasn't going to give up he grabbed his phone off the table and croaked, "Hello?"

"Well it's about time!"

"Carina?"

"Yes and I don't have much time so listen up."

Chuck sat up and tried to focus on what she was saying. "You found her?"

"Yes and no."

"Ok slow down. You did or you didn't?"

"Actually she found me although it didn't work out exactly as I had planned it. We fought, had a drink and …"

"You hit her?" Chuck exclaimed.

"In my defence I didn't know it was Sarah I was hitting," Carina admitted with a smile.

"And that makes it better?"

"Chuck Focus! Sarah and I talked a little before she left and ..."

"What did she say?" Chuck interjected.

"If you'll just let me finish I'll explain!" Carina cried starting to lose patience with him.

"Sorry," he muttered taking a deep breath and waiting while Carina explained what had happened in her hotel room.

"If I spend more time with her it may help unlock some memories from the past five years so I suggested that we go out tonight and she agreed. Maybe a few drinks will help break down some of those walls she's put up."

"How did Sarah look before you clubbed her?" Chuck asked smiling a little as he imagined the two women going head to head.

"Tired but good."

"My wife has a mean left hook so I'm sure she gave as good as she got."

"To be honest I think you've made her a little soft," Carina teased him. "I recall her punches being a lot harder last time we had a fight."

"I prefer to think of it as making her more human," Chuck admitted with a smile.

"It definitely felt like Sarah had a lot on her mind. I could tell that it was eating away at her so I think it's only a matter of time before she opens up to me."

"Why do you think I asked for your help?" Chuck replied then his voice softened. "It means a lot to me that you're there for her Carina especially when I can't be."

Carina could tell that he was starting to get emotional and she didn't do emotion so she said, "Gotta run Chuckles. I'll call you tomorrow with an update." When he didn't respond Carina said, "Don't worry Chuck, I'll do everything I can to help Sarah; she's not just your wife, she's my best friend. You just keep working on that miracle I know you're working on and try to get some sleep then I might even send you a picture."

"I really appreciate everything you're doing Carina. Keep me posted and ... thank you."

"I know Chuckles and you're welcome."

Chuck put his phone back on the table, linked his hands behind his head and lay back down on the couch. For the first time in weeks he felt a little calmer now that he knew Sarah was okay. He would have preferred it if he could have been there with her but Carina was the next best thing. She was obviously doing something right if Sarah had already remembered two small memories from the last five years and it gave him hope that all was not lost. Just like a drop in the ocean, he knew that one touch could ripple into something much bigger given enough time. He covered himself with Sarah's favourite blanket, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again.

**Hotel Le Negresco**

**Promenade Des Anglais, Nice**

**20:00**

Sarah sat in the lobby waiting for Carina. She'd decided to wear her blue summer dress and had accessorized it with a silver charm bracelet. She had no idea where she'd gotten the bracelet but it was pretty and went perfectly with the dress so she'd put it on. She looked up when Carina entered the lobby. Her long red hair flowed down her back contrasting beautifully with the red ensemble she was wearing with matching high heels; what the dress lacked in material Carina more than made up for in confidence. The two women greeted each other with a smile and a hug then they walked over to the concierge who hailed them a cab.

**Voyageur Nissart Restaurant**

**Rue Alsace Lorraine, Nice**

**20:15**

The Voyageur Nissart, with its crimson awning and neat row of greenery, was hard to miss and allegedly one of the few restaurants in Nice that still served authentic and traditional Nicoise cuisine. Sarah took in the low wooden ceilings and fresh yellow and sky blue décor which she thought gave the place a more homely and welcoming feel. _Chuck would have loved it here Sarah thought to herself then wondered how she could possibly know that._ The thought caused her step to falter but she quickly recovered and followed Carina across the restaurant.

Once they were seated at a table near the window a waiter approached and Carina ordered a bottle of Vosne Romanée. They scanned the menu and gave him their food order then he came back a few minutes later with a bottle of Romanée. He filled two glasses with the rich burgundy wine and left them alone. Carina picked up her glass and held it out to Sarah. "A toast."

"What are we toasting?" Sarah asked picking up her own glass.

"To old friendships, past memories, past loves and crappy missions," Carina replied with a grin.

Sarah studied her friend trying to decide if she was being serious. In the end she decided that Carina was just teasing her so she shrugged her shoulders, raised her glass and said, "To all of the above."

Carina regarded Sarah over the rim of her wineglass as she tried to come up with a conversation starter that would get her friend talking about what had happened with Quinn. Unfortunately subtlety wasn't a quality Carina possessed so she just dove in head first. "So where have you been for the last six years?"

Sarah took a deep breath; she should have known that Carina wouldn't let it drop. She took a sip of her wine then said, "I was stationed in LA."

"LA wow!" Carina smiled. "What was the assignment? Babysitting some rich movie star? An oil tycoon? A surfer ..."

Sarah shook her head. "Actually he was just a regular guy."

"Sounds boring!" Carina said smiling to herself. _She knew very well that Chuck was far from a regular guy._

"At first I thought it would be an 'in and out' mission," Sarah said repeating what she'd heard on her mission logs. "I was sent to LA to locate something that had been stolen from the CIA. All the evidence pointed to the item being sent to this regular guy who worked at the Buy More but when I arrived in Burbank I realized that nothing was as it seemed."

"Sounds intriguing ... was he cute?"

Sarah's blue eyes lit up when an image of Chuck popped into her head. Lately whenever she thought about him it was always of that time on the beach when she'd asked him to kiss her. She quickly took a sip of her wine then said, "He actually became my asset soon after …"

"Yes but was he cute?" Carina asked determined to get Sarah to talk about Chuck.

"I'm not going to say because it will ruin the story."

"How so?"

Fortunately the waiter arrived with their food so Sarah was saved from answering. The conversation turned to Carina while they ate dinner but by the time they started on their second bottle of wine she had skilfully steered them back to the topic of Sarah's last assignment.

Sarah recounted some of the things that she'd heard herself say on her mission logs wishing that the information had come from actual memories of her past.

Carina sat back and listened then asked, "Does your asset have a name?"

"He's not my ..." Sarah paused mid-sentence. She'd been about to tell Carina that he wasn't her asset but the only reason she knew that was because of the stories Chuck had told her. She sighed. "His name was Chuck."

Carina arched a thin eyebrow. "Was?"

Sarah looked up at Carina. "What?"

"You said _was_. Is he no longer in the picture? Did your mission end sooner rather than later?"

"No he's still around but …."

The look in Sarah's eyes instantly changed from glowing ember to doused fire. The spark that had been there a moment ago when she'd spoken about the early days of getting to know Chuck was suddenly gone. "What was your relationship with Chuck?"

"At first I was just his handler. He was my asset and needed my protection."

"Protection?" Carina grinned. "Was it full body protection or…."

"Carina!" Sarah exclaimed. She didn't know if it was the wine or the thought of having full body contact with Chuck that had caused the soft flush in her cheeks. Knowing that she was married to him still felt strange and she wished that she could remember something ... anything ... that would help her feel that their relationship was real.

"What?" Carina grinned. "You're a very attractive woman and I'm assuming that Chuck was cute or better yet a typical hot blooded young American male. It doesn't take a genius to do the math."

"Only you would find something sexual in any equation," Sarah replied with a smile. "For your information Chuck and I had a very professional relationship."

"You never fell for him?" Carina asked teasing Sarah a little. "It didn't take Bryce long to conduct undercover missions with you. I seem to recall you jumping into a relationship with him not long after you started working together."

"Bryce was a mistake and I didn't fall for Chuck ... I ..." Sarah froze when she realized that she'd said those exact words before but the memory was fuzzy and the more she tried to remember the more the memory faded.

"Have you seen Bryce since you started this assignment?"

"No ... at least I don't think so."

"That's good," Carina smiled. "It would have been awkward if he and Chuck had come into contact with each other." She struggled to keep herself from laughing because she knew darn well that Bryce had entered the picture on a few occasions causing a rift between Chuck and Sarah.

"Actually Bryce and Chuck were friends long before I knew either of them. They met at Stanford. It was because of Bryce that Chuck got involved with the CIA. When General Beckman and Director Graham discovered what Bryce had sent Chuck they assigned John Casey and I to project him."

Carina had no idea whether Sarah was remembering any of the things she was telling her or if they were memories that Chuck had told her. "I heard Casey was a washed up solider."

"He came to see me just before I left Burbank and it looks like his shell is much harder than his soul," Sarah admitted. "We eventually became friends as well as partners."

"John Casey someone's friend?" Carina scoffed. "I highly doubt that!"

"Carina!"

"What? I'm just saying," she replied.

Sarah thought back to her mission logs repeating something she'd said to herself way back in the beginning. "I never expected my assignment to last for five years."

"What happened to end it?" Carina asked as she topped up their glasses. "Presumably Chuck didn't need protecting anymore?"

"I wish I could tell you," Sarah admitted. "But I honestly don't remember."

"Good one Walker! Play the dumb agent card. Fine! If you don't want to tell me about Chuck then that's your choice but give me some credit. My looks may not always present smarts but I know for a fact that you're keeping something from me. I'm sure it can't be that bad. Did you get yourself into trouble? You didn't get pregnant did you? Or worse still, married?"

Sarah shook her head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"

She sighed and fingered the stem of her wine glass. "Carina, I don't remember anything that happened over the last five years."

"I don't understand," Carina said pretending to look confused.

"I don't remember anything that happened in Burbank over the last five years. Everything I've told you were things that I saw on my mission log or that someone else told me about and worst of all I don't remember Chuck."

Carina could tell that Sarah was in deep personal hell and she felt sorry for her. "Sarah, what happened to you? Why don't you remember?"

"A rogue CIA agent called Quinn captured me in Japan. He did something to erase all my memories from the last five years then he took me back to Burbank, pretended to be my handler and ordered me to kill Chuck."

"Why?"

"He told me that Chuck was responsible for the deaths of Bryce and Director Graham. He said he was a dangerous man who needed to be stopped. Carina, I married Chuck."

"You remember that?"

Sarah shook her head. "Quinn told me that the marriage was just an assignment. My mission was to get close to Chuck so that I could retrieve the stolen item he was after. He dropped me off at the apartment I shared with Chuck and I pretended that I remembered everything and that I was fine but it didn't take long for Chuck to realize that something was wrong with me. I spent five years of my life protecting him then he almost died because of me."

"How?"

"I went with Chuck, Casey and Morgan to a government facility. Chuck wanted to destroy this thing that Quinn was after but as soon as I had the opportunity I downloaded it. When I went to leave Chuck tried to convince me that our relationship was real and for a fraction of a second I started to believe him then Quinn yelled in my earpiece for me to get out of there so I ran. I planted a bomb on the wall of the room they were in and left the facility but when I got outside I couldn't detonate the bomb. I tried to persuade Quinn to leave them in the room but he wouldn't listen and detonated the bomb."

Carina was shocked at everything she was hearing. Chuck had given her the bare minimum of details. She'd never realized just how bad things were. "What happened?"

"I met up with Quinn and we discovered that Chuck had switched the item I'd taken with one that had nothing on it. Quinn was furious and when Chuck called my phone and I realized that he was still alive I went after his sister to try and force him to give me the item that Quinn was after. Chuck turned up without it and tried to convince me to leave his sister and go with him to get the item. I refused and told him that Ellie and I would follow him in her car. Ellie tried to save Chuck by crashing her car. I was knocked unconscious and when I woke up Chuck had taken me to what was supposed to be our dream house. He tied me to a chair and forced me to listen as he told me that our relationship was real, that we were married and in love. It was one of the hardest things I'd ever had to hear but I still refused to believe him and as soon as he untied me I attacked him but he refused to fight back because he didn't want to hurt me." She laughed harshly and shook her head. "Even when he didn't stand a chance he still tried to protect me. He fell down the stairs and when I followed him I pointed my gun at him." She welled up. "Carina I had every intention of killing him."

"What stopped you?"

"I saw our names carved in the doorframe and knew that I'd put them there. In that moment I knew that he was probably telling me the truth but there was still a part of me that didn't want to believe it then Quinn turned up and Chuck accused him of lying and using me to get to him. Quinn admitted that it was true. He wasn't CIA and had never been my handler. All he wanted was this thing that he thought Chuck had. Quinn tried to shoot me but Chuck jumped in front of the bullet and it hit him in the back."

"Oh my God!" Carina said, her eyes wide. Chuck had never told her any of this. "He saved your life and you still doubted what he'd told you?"

"I didn't know what to believe," Sarah admitted. "When he told me to run before Casey arrived I went back to my hotel and started packing but Casey turned up and handed me a disc. It was the mission logs that I'd recorded since the start of my assignment in Burbank. After he left I watched them and as I listened to myself talking about Chuck and admitting that I was in love with him I knew that everything he'd told me about our life together was true."

"So why are you here and not with him?"

Sarah looked out of the window to the darkened beach across the road thinking again about the story he'd told her on the beach. It seemed incredible that any of those things had happened to her. She sighed and looked at Carina. "Just before I left Burbank we talked on the beach and I asked him to me our story. He told me about how we'd fallen in love during the first few years of working together, about his proposal, our engagement party and our wedding. It sounded like a fairytale to me and although I believed what he was telling me was true, I didn't feel it." She looked at Carina again her anguish evident. "I really don't remember him Carina and it kills me because I could see how much he loved me. He risked his life for me and yet I couldn't bring myself to feel anything for him not even when he kissed me."

"Is that why you left Burbank?"

Sarah nodded. "I told him that I needed time to find myself."

"I don't know what to say," Carina admitted still in shock over everything Sarah had told her.

"Chuck and Casey gave me my memories," Sarah replied. "Now I need to figure out how to piece everything back together until my life makes sense again."

"What about Chuck?"

"When I watched my mission logs I saw how our relationship had developed over the years. I heard myself admit that I love him. I saw how much I'd changed since I first met Chuck. Going by the things I was saying, we stopped being asset and handler long before we got together for real."

"Do you want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"I don't think that your feelings for Chuck are gone," Carina said. "I think they're just buried and all you need to do is find a way of unlocking them."

"But how?" Sarah asked. "I've tried everything but nothing works."

"We'll figure it out sweetie." It pained Carina to hear Sarah talk like this because she knew how happy she'd been with Chuck and it was tragic to think that it had all been taken away from them because of some madman with an axe to grind. When Carina had first heard that Sarah was going to marry Chuck she'd been skeptical but when she'd seen what Chuck had done to save Sarah's life after she was poisoned by the Norseman device, even a hardened spy like Carina knew that no one was more perfect for Sarah than Chuck.

**Echo Park, Burbank**

**10:00**

Chuck sighed and rolled over. Another day of waking up without Sarah by his side. Carina had told him that Sarah was safe and well and he believed her but that didn't stop him from wanting to go to her so he could see for himself that she was okay. He wanted her to be happy but more than anything he wanted to know if she was still his wife in more than just name. He climbed out of the bed in the spare room, stretched and padded down the hall to the kitchen. The walls silenced his presence and he felt like a stranger in his own home. He walked over to the kitchen counter and started to make a pot of coffee then he noticed the light blinking on his answering machine signaling that he had four messages. He wasn't expecting any calls and his regular callers knew to get him on his cell so he had no idea who would leave him a message. He leaned over, pressed the button and listened to the first message:

_You have just been awarded an all exclusive two day adventure at the world's finest …_

Chuck pressed delete. He'd had more than enough adventure in his life thank you very much! He waited for the second message:

_Hey Chuck, it's Casey. Just calling to say hello. Still on the hunt for Gertrude ... grunt grunt ... Just kidding I found her. We're about to leave on a mission but I just wanted to see how you were holding up. You have my number….._

Chuck smiled and deleted the message.

_Chuck? Is this Chuck? Well are you there? Not sure if you are. It's Lester and Jeff. I guess you're not home. Ok. Leave a message or hang up. What? End of message._

Chuck shook his head and quickly pressed delete._ What a pair of jackasses!_ He pressed the button to listen to the final message:

_I'm trying to get in touch with Charles Bartowski. My name is Brandon Kiske. I knew your father. You've found me so please call as soon as you get this message. I'll be in LA for a few more days. My number is …_

Chuck saved the message and hung up the phone. He didn't know any one called Brandon Kiske so why would the man think he was looking for him? He'd used all his dad's data and anything else he thought might be useful to conduct automated web searches. Anyone with the right software and IT smarts could have tapped into one of those searches. After breakfast he headed over to Castle to use the satellite phone because he didn't want his call to be traced then he dialed Brandon Kiske's number.

"Westridge motel."

"Could you please put me through to Brandon Kiske's room?"

"Certainly, one moment Sir."

"Hello?"

"Mr Kiske?"

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"My name's Chuck Bartowski. I believe you were looking for me."

"You're Stephen's son ... its Charles right?"

_Okay Chuck thought, maybe this guy really did know his dad._ "It is," he confirmed. "You left a message on my answer machine."

"I'm glad you called. I was starting to think that you hadn't received my message."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I don't check my answering machine very often," Chuck replied. "You mentioned that I found you but I wasn't looking for you. Care to explain?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Can we meet?"

There was a time when he'd first become a spy that Chuck would have jumped in head first without thinking things through but he wasn't that guy anymore. He'd learned a lot over the last five years and knew that he had to get as much information as possible so that he could plan his moves carefully. It helped to lessen the surprise of any attack that might ensue. "How about Lou's Deli on Sunset? Do you know it?"

"I'll be there," Kiske replied. "Two thirty okay?"

"Fine," Chuck agreed. "How will I know who you are?"

"Don't worry, I know who you are," Kiske assured him. "You're Stephen's son so it can't be that hard to identify you."

"I'll see you at two thirty," Chuck repeated then ended the call.

**Emilie's Café**

**Nice, France**

**06:00**

Sarah met Carina on the promenade the next morning and they went in search of somewhere to have breakfast. When they found a quaint café overlooking the ocean they went inside and sat down at a table by the window. Carina was pleased with the progress she'd made with Sarah since yesterday. Assisted by several bottles of wine, they had talked until the early hours of the morning and Sarah had really started to open up about the last five years even if most of what she'd talked about hadn't been actual memories, it was a step in the right direction. From everything Carina had heard and seen it looked like Sarah was still interested in Chuck so the challenge now was putting together the missing pieces so that she could get her life back. Carina wasn't sentimental by any stretch of the imagination but even she knew that a love like Chuck and Sarah's didn't just happen; it was a love that was written in the stars. These two were destined to be together now and forever.

The two women sat in silence neither feeling very chatty this early in the morning. When the waiter arrived Carina ordered two lattes with double shots of espresso figuring that they could both do with a boost.

"It's too early," Sarah grumbled.

"It's not that early," Carina replied giving her friend an amused look.

"It's six o'clock. We only got to bed a few hours ago."

"I know but I have plans for today and we need to leave early in order to enjoy the benefits."

Sarah frowned. "What benefits? Carina, I'm not hooking up with!" She removed her sunglasses and perched them on top of her head then took the menu Carina handed her.

"Who said anything about hooking up? Although now that you mention it the idea does have some appeal." Carina smirked knowing full well that Sarah would take the bait.

"Carina!" Sarah warned. "I'm not interested."

"Relax Blondie," Carina chuckled. "I was only teasing you. I've got something far more exciting planned for us today. We're going to Milan."

Sarah set down her cup. "Milan?"

Carina nodded. "It's only a few hours' drive from here and I know you like Milan plus there's shopping and …"

The waiter arrived to take their breakfast order and as soon as he left Sarah raised a questioning eyebrow at Carina. "Why Milan? I haven't been there since our last mission with the CAT Squad and look how that turned out. I haven't spoken to Zondra or Amy for at least six years. Have you?"

"Yes but they're not the reason I'm taking you to Milan," Carina replied. "It's fashion week so I thought we'd take in a show. I have two tickets for the main event and I'd like to share them with you."

"Oh," Sarah said feeling bad for doubting Carina's sincerity but she knew that the red-headed agent always had an ulterior motive. It wouldn't surprise her in the slightest if she ended up on a mission because that's just the way things were with Carina. You had to expect the unexpected.

When the waiter arrived with their breakfast Carina opened her napkin and placed it on her lap. Chuck had told her that he and Sarah had been on a mission during fashion week in Milan so she was hoping that being there again would spark some of Sarah's memories and show her that what she had with Chuck was real.

**Hotel Le Palais de la Mediterranee**

**Nice, France **

**08:00**

When Sarah spotted Carina's car pull up in the forecourt outside her hotel she grabbed the handle of her suitcase and wheeled it outside. She hadn't planned on leaving Nice just yet but perhaps it would do her good to have some fun for a change and what better person to do that with than Carina? She knew she had to let Beckman know that she'd left Nice but she figured that it wouldn't hurt to wait another day or two before she did that.

Carina tilted her sunglasses as Sarah climbed into the car. She'd promised Chuck that she'd send him a picture so she grabbed her phone, snapped one of Sarah, attached it to an email and typed a quick message to him:

**Leaving Nice. Going to check out Milan. Xoxo **

"What's with the picture?" Sarah asked as she fastened her seatbelt.

Carina shrugged. "I figured I should have something to remind me of this vacation."

**Lou's Deli**

**Burbank, LA**

**14:30**

Chuck pulled up in the parking lot opposite the Deli. The hospital in Chicago had given Ellie and Devon new cars as part of the package to lure them to the Mid West and as they had no need for three cars they had given Chuck their Toyota Sienna which he was glad about because the Nerd Herder had long since lost its charm. He saw Lou's dad clearing tables outside the Deli and realized that it must be Lou's day off which was good; the last thing he needed was her incessant babbling while he was trying to get information out of Kiske. As he climbed out of the car and pressed the remote to lock the door Chuck noticed a short elderly man enter the Deli. It was bang on two thirty and as there was no one else inside the Deli he knew it had to be Kiske. When he saw that the older man had a slight limp which he supported with a wooden cane Chuck wondered if he'd been overly cautious wearing a bulletproof vest but reminded himself that he had no backup. There was no Casey, Sarah or Morgan waiting in a nearby van to help him out if anything went wrong and Sarah had taught him never to underestimate anyone no matter who they were or what they looked like. He waited until Kiske sat down at one of the indoor tables then strode across the parking lot and entered the Deli. He casually walked over to the elderly man's table. "Brandon Kiske?"

"Yes," Kiske nodded. "I don't have to ask if you're Charles, I can see the family resemblance. You're definitely a Bartowski."

Chuck sat down in the chair opposite Kiske wondering how this man knew his father.

Kiske looked Chuck over. The more he looked the more excited he got. His face lit up as if he was looking at himself in a mirror or had seen a long lost friend.

Chuck couldn't figure out what was going on; Kiske was odd to say the least and he wondered how much the man really knew.

Lou's dad placed two mugs of coffee on the table. As if on cue Chuck and Kiske doctored their coffees in exactly the same way, at the same speed and both sipped their coffee at the same time.

Chuck wondered if Kiske was mimicking his actions on purpose then decided that he was being paranoid and shook off the weird similarities. He clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the table.

Kiske appeared nervous as he regarded Chuck. He seemed to be having a hard time finding the words to speak.

After a long uncomfortable silence Chuck couldn't take it anymore and asked, "What can I do for you?"

"I knew your father," Kiske spoke as if he hadn't heard Chuck's question. "In fact I knew your whole family very well … you … Ellie … Mary."

"How is that possible?" Chuck asked. "Surely I would have heard of you if you were a good family friend."

"Your dad and I lost touch until about three years ago," Kiske explained. "I also lost touch with your mom around the same time; she was on a mission in Russia, right?"

Chuck was surprised by how much Kiske knew but he was determined to stay one step ahead just in case this was all some kind of ploy to get him to reveal details about his family. "What can I do for you?" he asked again.

"It's not what you can do for me, it's what I can do for you," Kiske replied.

"What do you mean?"

"You're looking for something."

"Aren't we all looking for something at some point in our lives?" Chuck responded.

"Yes," Kiske acknowledged, "But some things are worth more when we fight for them and from what I've see you're putting everything you've got into your search."

Chuck started to wonder if Kiske was going a bit senile in his old age because he'd done nothing but talk in riddles since they'd sat down. He cleared his throat and said, "I'm sure that whatever you're offering will be helpful to someone however …" He paused when his phone vibrated. "Excuse me for a moment," he said before fishing his phone out of his pocket to check the screen. When he saw that it was an email from Carina he quickly opened it and his heart stuttered when he saw the picture of Sarah. He quickly closed the email and put his phone back in his pocket before looking at the old man again.

"As I was saying, some things are worth fighting for even when we don't know why," Kiske continued then noticed two shady characters enter the Deli. He reached for his cane.

Chuck stared at the device strapped to Kiske's forearm. It looked very much like the one his father had given him the night of Ellie's wedding reception. It looked exactly like the device that had transported him into the intersect white room where Bryce had died and he had downloaded the intersect 2.0.

When Kiske noticed Chuck staring at his forearm he quickly pulled the sleeve of his jacket down then he stood up. "I'm sorry Charles but I have to go. I can see that you're a careful man just like your dad said you'd be." Kiske made eye contact with the two shady men and when they eyeballed him back he knew it was time to leave.

Chuck turned to see what the old man was looking at and flashed on the two shady men. He saw images of diamonds, old files, cipher programs, Quinn, Rennie Deutch, Ring Operatives and Fulcrum. When he snapped out of the flash Kiske had already left the Deli. Chuck hurried outside and caught up with the old man in the alleyway behind the Deli. "Who are you?"

"In time my son … in time."

"That doesn't help me," Chuck exclaimed his frustration evident. "You leave a message on my answering machine, ask to meet me then tell me nothing. I bet your name isn't even Brandon Kiske, is it?"

"You catch on quickly," the old man smiled then turned and continued walking down the alleyway lined with crates and boxes.

Chuck hurried after him. "That's it? You're just going to leave?"

The old man turned to look at him. "Those two men in the Deli won't stop till they get what they came for and what they're looking for is what you need. Look carefully at the data you've collected. Your father will help you find what you need. I'm here to make sure that happens." He put his hand on Chuck's shoulder. "Don't worry about Sarah my son; she'll come back to you."

"How do you know that?" The words were barely out of Chuck's mouth when the old man disappeared right before his eyes. Chuck blinked and looked around the alleyway. He had no idea what just happened and if he had questions before it was nothing compared to the questions he had now. He walked back up the alleyway and headed over to his car. When he noticed the two men looking around the parking lot, presumably for the old man, he leaned against a nearby wall and watched. When their search came up empty the two men jumped into a grey van and drove off. Chuck caught a glimpse of the licence plate and quickly ran back to his car. He typed the licence plate number into his phone then went back into his emails and brought up Carina's message. He smiled as he ran his thumb over the picture of Sarah. Carina had delivered as promised but why was she taking Sarah to Milan?

**Open road enroute to Milan**

Sarah ran her hand through her long blonde hair enjoying the heat on her sun kissed skin. They had driven most of the way with the top down on Carina's rented lotus and as they approached the city Sarah was suddenly glad that her friend had persuaded her to take this trip. She loved Milan and they both loved fashion so what could be better than spending a few days in one of the fashion capitals of the world?

Carina watched Sarah out of the corner of her eye smiling to herself when she saw how relaxed she looked. She hoped that Milan would trigger at least one memory of Chuck but it had been more than a year since they'd been here on a mission so it was a long shot. "That's the hotel," she said pointing to a white building up ahead.

**The Carlton Hotel Baglioni**

**Via Senato**

**Milan**

As soon as Carina pulled up in front of the hotel's entrance a valet and two bellhops descended on them quickly opening both car doors. "_Ciao belle signore_."

"_Ciao_," both women replied as they climbed out of the car.

Carina handed the bellhop her car keys and a generous tip. "Our luggage is in the trunk," she said then gestured to Sarah to follow her into the hotel.

Sarah had stayed in a lot of luxurious hotels since joining the agency but The Carlton was impressive beyond belief and epitomised opulence in a very understated and elegant way giving it a very glamorous feel. "It's perfect."

"I'm glad you approve," Carina replied with a smug smile. "It wasn't easy getting a suite here at such short notice but lucky for you I have connections."

When they entered their suite fifteen minutes later Sarah gazed around the room in amazement then she turned to Carina. "The Presidential Suite? How?"

"I told you, I have connections," she laughed and waved it off as if it was nothing bagging the presidential suite in one of the best hotels in Milan. "There are three bedrooms and as I'm feeling particularly generous today you can have first pick. Once we've unpacked we'll go and grab some lunch at _The Baretto al Baglioni_. It's one of the most famous restaurants in Milan, perfect for mingling with the Italian and international jet setter crowd."

"Only you could plan a trip like this," Sarah said shaking her head. She started to walk towards the bedrooms then a thought suddenly occurred to her and she turned back to Carina. "By the way, how are we paying for this?"

"We're not," Carina replied. "This is courtesy of my friend."

"Must be a very good friend to put you up in a place like this," Sarah replied with a smile.

"He is," Carina admitted. "Why do you think I wanted to come to Milan."

"And there it is," Sarah thought to herself. The ulterior motive reveals itself. She knew Carina wouldn't come here for no reason other than to enjoy herself. She shrugged and went to check out the bedrooms.

Carina waited until Sarah was out of sight then she grabbed her phone and headed onto the balcony. She sent Chuck a text:

**Just a****rrived in Milan. Staying at the Carlton.**** Did you like the picture?**

Seconds later a reply came through from Chuck:

**I loved the picture! Would love it more if I could actually talk to her.**

Carina thought for a second then typed:

**Sarah told me what happened with Quinn. I'm really sorry Chuck. Neither of you deserve this.**

Chuck read the message. It had to be a good sign if Sarah was opening up to Carina.

**Did anything trigger a memory?**

Carina didn't want to give him false hope so she said:

I'm not really sure. Hard to tell whether it's a memory or something that you told her. Don't worry, as soon as I know more I'll let you know. This is not over by a long shot!

Chuck smiled when he read Carina's message:

**Superwoman has nothing on you! You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for. Thank you so much for everything you're doing to help Sarah.**

Carina chuckled and shook her head. It was easy to see why Sarah had fallen in love with Chuck. He could be quite the charmer when he wanted to. She thought it was sweet and replied:

**You're welcome Chuckles. Talk to you soon. Gotta run!**

Chuck quickly typed a reply:

**Take care**

**Castle**

**Burbank, LA**

**16:00**

As soon as Chuck got back to Castle he saved Sarah's picture as the background on his phone then he connected the phone to his computer and set her picture as his desktop background. He smiled as he gazed at her on his 27 inch monitor. Just knowing that the picture had been taken a few hours ago warmed his heart because despite everything Sarah had been through she still looked as beautiful and perfect as he remembered. He brought up his search engine, typed in the van's licence plate number and discovered that it was registered to a delivery company who specialized in antiques and iniquities. _What possible connection did the two men in the Deli have to the old man?_

**Echo Park, LA**

**19:00**

Chuck sat at his dining room table eating the Chinese food he'd picked up on the way home. The old man had told him to look at what his father had left him so he'd laid out all of the Intel on the table and had been studying each piece of paper meticulously so that he didn't miss any clues. He knew he had to do this old school because most of his dad's findings weren't on computer yet. It was exciting to realize that somewhere amongst all these mounds of paper was the answers he was seeking to his questions and something that could give him the power to unlock Sarah's memories.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello all – yes I know that this story has been neglected lately but NOT forgotten – been too nice outside to stay in and write – but when the weather isn't the greatest it does help on the creativity. So enjoy this chapter – it is a little short in comparison to my other chapters but still full of excitement. Thanks MRW for her kick in the butt to get me back to writing – Hope all of you are enjoying your summer. **

**I don't own Chuck – all for fun – Again enjoy and please let me know what you thought… Mssupertigz **

**Chapter 6 – Will the Pieces fit?**

**Echo Park 02:00**

The winds howled outside as the summer storm made its presence known. The lightening flashed and the thundered roared. Chuck tossed and turned as he lay on the couch. In the distance Chuck could hear what sounded to him like a door or window smashing against its frame. He ignored the first few times but the third time was accompanied with a deafening whale of thunder. As Chuck got up to checked the living room doors and windows. He felt a little paranoid doing this and a little foolish as this was usually Sarah's job. He sighed relief as he checked the front door turned and headed towards the back of the apartment. Checking Morgan's old room he came up no closer to the sound in which he swore he heard. Chuck walked up to their room – he had kept the door closed to lessen the pain of seeing their bed, their pictures, their everything. Chuck had left the room as it was before Sarah and he had left for Japan. Sarah's luggage with the infamous picture still laid open on their bed. Her clothes were starting to lose her scent. Chuck remembered Sarah telling him that when he was missing in Thailand she had been drawn to his buy more shirt for some sense of comfort. But Chuck couldn't get that same benefit from hers.

He turned the knob and took a deep breath, as he opened the door the source of the sound, was coming from the Morgan door. Chuck was startled by the fact that it had been opened. Sarah made sure that after Morgan had moved out she nailed that door shut with no chance of opening unless you had a crowbar. Quickly surveying the room to see if anything was missing, being so dark he wasn't sure. Chuck walked over to the window and reached for the edge of the windows. As the lightening flashed he looked out towards the fountain he was drawn to someone he thought was standing there. Chuck continued to look out towards the fountain and as the lightening and the wind blew the light around a shadowy figure stood staring back at him. Chuck froze at the sight of this figure, he knew that he could take him but he wasn't sure what this person was doing there at that exact moment. He needed to investigate. Chuck crawled out of the window and headed towards the fountain only to find that what he thought was a shadowy figure was just a uprooted lounger. Chuck ran out to the street just to make sure. As he turned to head back he saw to the right of his peripheral vision the same shadowy figure looking back at him. Chuck turned around "Who are you? What do you want?"

The storm drowned out any respond if any from the shadowy figure. The air being so wet it quickly drying Chuck's voice, to continue any yelling. Chuck watched as the rain blurred his eyes from seeing anything more. He felt defeated and headed back to the fountain. As he walked back he flipped back over the lounger. As he picked up the table and a few more chairs on his way back to the window a piece of paper fell from one of the chairs near his front door. This was proof that he was not seeing things. Chuck picked up the card. The rain had doused the card making it hard to read what was written on the back. Flipping the card over it read Lancer Antiques and Treasures. Chuck flipped it back and watched as the writing on the back started to fade. Chuck looked around and walked back to the apartment. Locked up the window and grabbed some dry clothes and closed the door. He placed the card on the counter and quickly dried off. He knew that he wasn't going to get some sleep now. Chuck grabbed a glass and opened up a bottle of wine.

**Milan **

With a little convincing Carina was able to get Sarah to go have a little rest. She did force her to leave early this morning. Carina wanted Sarah to be rested for the night's events. Chuck was lucky to grab the last few tickets for the Versace Fashion Show. Like Chuck said to Beckman, having money has some perks. Carina sauntered down to the lobby to grab the tickets.

The clerk looked up.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes Carina Miller to pick up 2 tickets for the Versace Fashion show?"

The clerk turned around and brought back the envelope that housed the 2 tickets. The clerk noticed that there was a sticky note attached to the envelope. He removed the note, and looked up.

"Bella Miller, looks like it's your lucky day!"

Carina looked up.

"I am pleased to tell you that you and your guest are receiving a full hotel spa package that includes, a massage, makeover and your when your spa time is over I'll have my associates come up to your room where you can choose from a wide selection of outfits from some of finest designers."

Carina smiled '_Chuckles you did it again'._

Sarah closed her eyes. The sounds bustling on the promenade below and the smells of Milan seemed familiar. But as Sarah succumbed to sleep, her present thoughts were quickly turning to the past. Was this just another forced dream or was this really happening. Sarah had been let down so many times already so why would this time be any different. What she wanted to remember was only letting her down, and each time the thought of her 'coming' back to Chuck it just pushed her farther behind. She hoped that just one thought. Just one memory, her own would spark what Chuck had told her to be true. She also hoped that confiding in Carina would help her to remember something big – but how could Carina help her when she hadn't had the opportunity to meet Chuck. If she had the opportunity to meet him she could see why it was so pertinent for her to remember the life she had with Chuck. _What if she did remember everything? Would Chuck stick around until then? He did promise to wait for me?_ Sarah continued to talk to herself. As Sarah fell deeper into a must needed sleep while those questions continued to race threw her subconscious.

**Echo Park 11:00**

Chuck sauntered out from Sarah's blanket. Her scent was quickly fading to his. A lot of Sarah was fading in their apartment. Though the walls and shelves hosted many pictures of her they were just that, pictures. Her presence in the apartment consisted of leaving towels on the floor after a shower, her tooth brush left on the side of the sink, her weird unpacking system that still made Chuck laugh, but for Chuck that is all he had to were his memories, he just hoped too that they would be real once again.

Chuck looked at his watch. Carina must have gotten his surprise by now. He hoped that having Sarah get all dressed up and enjoy her time would….. Chuck shook off the idea. He just hoped that she would as least smile once tonight.

Chuck walked over to the table. The pile of papers still sat in the same place as he left them earlier. The old man told him to trust his dad's findings and what Chuck found out on the CIA computer. It was possible to get Sarah's memories back. That had to be the driving force to get Chuck motivated to get all of his wife back and not just the physical. Chuck padded through the pile of papers and notes he took while in DC. As he scanned the papers out fell what looked like an old receipt or purchase claim. Chuck picked it up and looked at the faded copy. It must have been part of an order form, the printing had faded. He looked at the date 1992, then looked at the signature and name on the paper. He looked at the number as well then looked up and scanned the room. 'Where did I put that….' Chuck looked up and saw the bottle of wine from earlier that morning and there beside was the card he found outside. Chuck walked over and grabbed the card. It had shrivelled and dried. The name of the business was still there Lancer Antiques and Treasures. The number tweaked his interest as it was very similar to the one on the order or claim form. Chuck dialed the number it went to voice mail. '_You have reached Lancer and Reid Antiques and Treasures, we are unable to come to the phone, please leave your name and number and the reason for your call, our business hours are 10:00 to 3:00 Monday to Thursday we are located in Fountain Valley CALIFORNIA. _

Chuck hung up the phone. Chuck then wrote down his findings.

Lancer Antiques and Treasures now known as Lancer and Reid?

Fountain Valley California

Old man lot of similar tendencies

Receipt dated 1992 the same year Chuck's dad didn't come back

Signature owner is _

Memories can be returned – right program

Two guys in deli have something to do with the old man and the antiques store

Chuck looked at the receipt again, this time the light from the sun hit just right and he noticed that the paper had some kind of water mark on it. 'Probably to make the receipt legit or maybe it was accustomed back then to have watermarks on receipts?' Chuck thought to himself. He looked at it and Chuck flashed on the one of the images. Chuck almost fell of his chair – he still hadn't got use to the flashes quite yet but this one spooked him. Chuck quickly got dressed and headed over to Castle. He needed to scan the paper to make sure that what he saw wasn't what he saw.

**Milan 16:00**

Sarah awoke from her much needed sleep to find Carina waiting like a girl on Christmas morning.

"Well it's about time sleepy head."

Sarah walked over to the couch and curled up. "No not really, all I thought about was Chuck."

'Awesome' Carina thought. 'Maybe Chuckles was right in sending them there.

"Any luck on the remembering?"

Sarah looked at Carina. "No I don't think so."

"You awake now?"

"No."

"Good." Carina got up and grabbed Sarah's arm.

"Where are we going?"

"A surprise."

"No more surprises, please."

"You'll like this one plus my friend has already set this up for us, so we can't disappoint him. Plus this is only half of it."

Sarah's ears perked up. "Your friend is a guy?"

Carina whisked Sarah down the hall of their large suite "Yes a very good friend, and you would approve."

"What's he like?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes I would, and did you sleep with him, is he that kind of friend."

Carina laughed. "No, I haven't slept with him but I have tried, but he was too loyal to this girl at the time. I thought that he was totally out of this girl's league and I figured that what she had, I wanted a part of as well."

"So what happened to this girl? Did your friend end up with her?"

"Yes he did, but they leave a very quiet life, so I haven't seen him in a while."

"He must be a pretty nice guy to do this."

"Like I said this is only half of it."

As Carina turned the corner of the hall – there in the far room was a room filled with candles and in the distance a water fountain and soft relaxing music. As the masseurs prepared the tables as Sarah and Carina disrobed in nearby stalls and walked out. Sarah laid face down on the table. As her face hit the towel she started to relax again. Carina watched as Sarah's body was no longer fighting itself. This was another thing Sarah needed. Carina laid down beside her. How Chuck knew that Sarah needed this was beyond her. He really did care about her. Carina just hoped that this trip wasn't going to let anyone down.

**Hotel Room - Milan**

Sarah walked around the room holding a glass of champagne. Her aching muscles were now relaxed. As she walked around the room a flicker of a candle stopped her in her tracks. Blurred memories entered her mind once again. The same old movie reel of memories continued to play over and over. Some memories she remembered having before but this one wasn't a forced memory. Sarah sat down and finished her present glass then sat twirling the neck of the glass. '_The fountain stood in the place it always did. Chuck had set up a small table for two with a box of Spyro and red bubbly. This special time had been delayed thanks to Bryce. Chuck had come over earlier after a successful mission and with the blessings of Agent Montgomery Chuck knew that he had a chance with Sarah. But as the door opened the person Chuck wanted to see wasn't who answered. After a few awkward moments Chuck turned on his heels and left. When Sarah got wind that it was Chuck at the door, she gave Bryce a piece of her mind, changed and left. When Sarah came across Chucks' place, she looked to find him sitting with his feet on the fountain. He looked like he had just lost his best friend. Sarah sat down beside him as she had done thousandths of time before, with the same effect and feelings that Chuck unknowingly been giving her. Sarah sat down and placed her hand on his leg. Chuck smiled a faint smile. Sarah leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. They knew that words were not going to make up for anything, or change anything for that matter but they knew from this moment on things would be different. Chuck leaned in after a while sitting in a quiet Chuck and Sarah moment. "Spyro?" Sarah sat up and got up, taking Chuck's hand with hers. "Definitely". _

The glass fell to the carpet as Carina walked in. Sarah quickly picked up her glass and set it on the side table. Carina sat down and could see that Sarah was visibly shaken but not upset as she thought that she would be.

"Hey care to elaborate?"

Sarah didn't know how to tell Carina, and whether she would believe her. Plus Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to be herself either. But this time, this memory wasn't something that Chuck has mentioned. This memory was hers.

"Not sure if you'll believe me because I don't believe it myself.."

"Well just say it."

"Chuck had come over after a mission, and to his surprise Bryce was at the door?"

Carina had to play along.

"Bryce, what the heck was he doing there, didn't he get the picture long ago."

"I don't remember why he was there but when Chuck came by, he had to say something that made Chuck leave. When I found out that someone had been at the door and it was Chuck, I gave him a piece of my mind, changed and went to find Chuck. He was at home sitting by 'our', I mean the complexes fountain. I noticed that he had set up a table in the corner of the patio. I walked over and sat down beside him and we just sat there. Nothing was said for a very long time. Then Chuck in his style said one word Spyro, I got up and took his hand and said yes."

Well that's a good sign. You remembered something that Chuck told you."

"No!"

"What?"

"Chuck never told me that story. It was long ago."

"So you…."

"I guess…"

Carina watched Sarah's face go from uncertainty to an unfathomable realization that she had remembered something on her own.

"So how do you feel?"

"I don't know. I mean this is a good sign I guess and if you knew my Chuck you would understand why this is a big step."

"Sarah I….."

The knock at the door stopped Carina from possibly giving up the real reason why they were there. Carina embraced the interruption as she got up to answer the door.

"Take this as a sign that this is a step in the right direction. Hopefully there are more to come and you can get back to this Chuck."

Sarah reached for another glass and filled it with water taking the glass to her lips as Carina opened the door.

**Castle **

Chuck sat looking for some piece of this data to make some sense. He had to find some answers to bring his Sarah back. The receipt from the antique company and the missing pieces had to connect somehow, they just had to. Chuck thought to himself.

Chuck looked again through his dad's data once again and tried to find some comparisons with what he found from Beckman's computer. He brought up all his dad's data up on the big screen. Chuck typed in the two names that kept coming up. Lancer and Reid. As Chuck was adding his findings, memories from his childhood entered his mind. Chuck recalled the last time he stepped foot into in childhood home and walked down to the basement. His awe, and surprise that this type of basement existed and the fact that he had not found it before. _We were talking about me_, Chuck laughed to himself. The mere fact that his father had documented everything and anything at the time hopefully would be the answers he needed but when Volkoff blew up the basement that wish went up in flames along with many other things.

His dad's files, Chuck remembered that they were never mentioned or even for that matter, had their own specific filing system. But he knew that these names meant something one for one man like Volkoff and for the stranger he saw the previous day. Both men took great lengths to find and retrieve if possible what they wanted. And for Chuck to flash on the recent guy only made his drive that much more determined to make things right. But what was the connection to getting Sarah memories back. Chuck felt the longer, it took him to find the answers the further Sarah was going to end up too be, too regain any sense of what she had with him.

Chuck spent the morning flipping through the files and as scanning was beginning to take a toll when he remembered Quinn stating that the intersect was stolen from him but Chuck knew that Bryce had downloaded the intersect due to the instructions from his dad. So why would Quinn, Lancer and Reid if any of them have anything to do with the last intersect upload and why would they be looking for the old man that met me at Lou's diner? Chuck turned around to face another computer. He did another search for Quinn hoping that the CIA was still looking for him. Chuck walked over to a nearby bulletin board, where he posted what he had come up with. He pinned the business card and drew a red line to the names Lancer and Reid on cue cards. He then pinned a picture of Quinn and the pictures of the two men that he flashed on. Chuck then grabbed one of the pictures that Carina sent him and placed her picture on the middle and stepped back. "This is all for you Sarah all of it."

**Milan**  
>Sarah ran her hands across the wide range of dresses that hung on the rack. Sarah would never pass down a pretty dress on the best of days. But this time seemed different. This time she felt that this whole trip was made especially for her. Each moment made for her and each moment set aside taking careful consideration of her needs, her feelings. But who, why, would a trip like this be any different than what she was used to. Sarah tried to comprehend what her mind was telling her. This was just another vacation but her heart had other plans. Her heart either it had to go along for the ride or be bottled up, to another experience, an adventure. <em>But even in her wildest dreams would she have assumed that her husband was behind all this<em>. Sarah walked back n forth and finally decided on a black low cut Versace number - she could have chosen all of them but this one seemed to be calling out her name. Carina came strolling shortly after wearing a red number that suit her to a tee and anything that Carina wore she wore well.

"Well I am glad that you finally chose something to wear I was worried that it would take you all night."

"No!" Sarah smiling. "But it was hard to decide on just one."

Carina grabbed her phone and snapped a few of Sarah and her.

After the third photo Sarah responded. "I don't know why you are taking all these photos. You know that the CIA frowns on any agents being photographed."

"Duh, but you know it would take more than an army to take my phone from my hands and besides it will be fun when we are old and we look back at this time in our lives. So if you're ready to go?" Carina walked to the door and watched Sarah grabbed her small sequence purse and reached for the door.

"You need to thank your friend for this."

Carina pressed the elevator button and waited.

"Don't worry he already knows."

Sarah curious. "Why would you say that?"

Carina had to come up with a response that wouldn't get Sarah asking any more questions.

"Well why wouldn't he think that you would not like this? A fancy hotel with tickets for the fashion show and your choice of many dresses. This guy knows what women like.

"Well hopefully I get to thank him in person one day."

Carina smiled to herself _'That can be arranged'_.

The elevator door opened up. Sarah and Carina entered and took the elevator down to the main floor. They turned left of the elevator doors and walked down a hall each looking as if they too were models. Eyes and whispers followed them as Carina and Sarah handed their tickets to the man at the door. The inner sanctum rang with high class nobility and persons of the modeling and entertainment world. Sarah stopped in her tracks as a flash of a camera startled her. Sarah stood watching the flashes as her own flashback brought her again to another familiar place. Sarah felt that she had been there, in the same room before but how could that be? As Carina approached her she could tell that Sarah was remembering something again. As Carina made eye contact with, Sarah smiled a faint smile and looked at her ticket to ward of any reaction from Carina.

Carina quickly sent the photo to Chuck with a caption '_**Parts of the old have shone through'**_. Carina quickly pressed send and returned her phone to her purse.

Carina and Sarah were ushered to their seats. "Front row, really?"

Sarah sat down near what she knew had to be someone important, so she tried to remain calm. She waited till the individual sat back and turned her direction. To her surprise sitting beside her was actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Sarah remembered her in the latest installment of the Transformers. "_But how would I know that?" _

Miss Huntington-Whiteley smiled back at Sarah and commended on her dress. Sarah sat back. She had to chalk this up to just another coincidence. But this day had brought too many of them. Sarah was never a person to get scared or even worry but as she failed to take control of her memory, things like this would scare her leaving her vulnerable, which was one place she didn't want to be in. The lights dimmed as the fashion show began. She wanted to enjoy this and was determined to allow herself to do so. As the show continued Sarah began to relax again. Carina looked at her and sweetly grabbed her hand. Sarah placed her other hand on hers and gave it a squeeze. Things were going to be okay and nothing was going to ruin what this night was beginning to turn into. As the models passed by with the latest fashions, Sarah was enthralled by everything. She scanned the audiences and those who filled those seats. She was amazed that she was amongst the elite. It killed her not to laugh at the fact that she was actually there. Sarah applauded the designers as they walked their last walk. Carina stood and up and fixed her dress. Sarah took one last scan of the people and took a second look at group of people who had sat on the other side. There were three women and two men.

Each seemed to have enjoyed their time, while one of the men made Sarah stand up and take notice. This particular man got Sarah's attention. He stood a little over 6 feet, dark short hair and wore a suit quite nicely. He had set off Sarah's spy vibe, which then got Carina's attention.

"Walker what are you up to?" Sarah continued to look at the one man that by now was really making Sarah a little edgy.

"Do you see him?" Carina turned to face Sarah.

"See who?" "Him!" Sarah pointed to the man that had caught her attention.

"Him who?" Sarah didn't wait to explain to Carina. Sarah pushed her way through the crowd towards the individual. Carina followed. "Who are we going after, someone famous?"

"No!"

"Who then?"

"Chuck!"

"Chuck!"

"WHEN I CATCH UP TOO HIM. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD COME TO HIM….."

"WOAH, hang on."

Carina tried to stop Sarah. But once Sarah got something in her head it was hard to stop her.

"How do you know it's him?"

"I just know and it would be something that he would do even after I told him that I would come to him."

Carina slipping off her heels to catch up. '_Why would he be here?' Carina reminding herself. _Carina tried to see ahead of Sarah to make sure that it wasn't who Sarah said it was. As the individual turned around Carina saw that it wasn't Chuck but someone who definitely looked like him. But trying to get Sarah's attention wasn't easy. Sarah was a few feet ahead and determined to give this guy a piece of her mind. Carina tried to cut Sarah off but as Carina moved left Sarah had spotted her target. If Carina wasn't there she wouldn't have believed it herself. Sarah stormed and tackled the man to the floor.

"I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD COME TO YOU – BUT NO YOU HAD TO COME HERE." The man tried to break free. Carina grabbed Sarah by the shoulders and pulled her off the poor man.

"Sarah, that's not him."

The poor man stood up. "Agent Walker, I presume."

Sarah picked up her purse from the floor. Sarah was sure that this guy was Chuck. Sarah tried to compose herself the best that she could do.

"And you are?" The man looked up as Sarah's cell rang. Sarah pulled her phone out of her purse and saw that it was General Beckman on the screen. She then realised that she had forgotten to call her to let her know of her whereabouts. But when she answered she wasn't reprimanded but was asked how her trip was going. She was surprised by the comment but didn't want rock the boat. Sarah listened to what Beckman had to say. She also was told that a Interpol agent would be meeting her at the fashion show and that he would be wearing a dark suit with a pink shirt white collar. Goes by the name Neil Gustov. Beckman also explained that they were needed for a new mission and that her vacation was over for her. Beckman also wanted to know the whereabouts of Carina Miller. Sarah told her that Carina was here with her. Beckman continued to inform Sarah of her mission 'They were the only two agents in the area at that specific time and Beckman had made arrangements for a tactile team would pick them up the following morning and take them to a Italian ops training center where they would be given further details about their mission.

Sarah hung up her phone and apologized to the agent that she had just tackled. Agent Gustov smiled. "I have never been greeted like that before. I guess I should take this as a first and be happy that it was just a tackle by the infamous Sarah Walker."

"I am so sorry, I thought that you were someone that I left back home."

"Poor guy or lucky guy however you look at it. I wouldn't want to be him when I get home." Sarah smiled but hated herself for losing it the way she did. How could one man affect her so much and get under her skin when she barely had any memories of him. Agent Gustov walked Sarah and Carina out of the room towards the lounge. They walked in and found a table and ordered. "I am sorry that I didn't get to talk to you before the show started."

"That's okay, so why are you here?"

"I don't know much, all I was told was to attend this show, observe and find you girls."

"Observe what, fashion?" Carina lending her two cents.

"Just observe, people mostly. I was told to keep an eye on a few individuals who might show up but neither of them showed."

"So tomorrow, why us?"

"Don't know either?"

"DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING."

"CARINA!"

"That's ok – she's well known for her opinion."

The waitress placed their order on the table. Sarah nursed her drink. She was sad that her holiday was over but again she needed to keep busy. Cause the longer she didn't keep her mind busy of other things it was too easy to draw to one thought and that thought had a name and it was Chuck. The next morning bright and early Sarah and Carina stepped out of the black ranger over and followed their contact Neil Gustov through a maze of businesses and narrow pathways. They had driven a fair ways out of Milan to a remote hillside. It looked like a plain hillside with a few worn buildings scattered sparsely in and around the hillside. The training center if allowed access was to the common traveller your run of the mill textile factory but as the truck rolled further into the factory the inner gates housed your typical army base. For Sarah it reminded her of all places Prague. Sarah and Carina sat by a large table waiting for their briefing to start. They laughed at the fact that this was their first mission since the CAT Squad but Carina knew that she had to go along with it for the sake of Sarah. She knew that if she found out that they had knew each other and have had contact with each other and very recent. Carina wouldn't know how Sarah would react. Sarah looked up to see an older gentleman walk in with Gustov. Sarah and Carina stood and greeted Commander Cortez as General Beckman made her appeared known on the TV screen to their left.

"Walker, Miller, Commander Cortez, Agent Gustov."

"General." They all chided in.

"Please be seated. I want to thank Commander Cortez for his willingness to take this mission on, and for the opportunity to use his facilities. Plus having American agents, the American Government is taking this newest Intel very serious as well as Commander Cortez. We have come across some Intel and have found out that a group of mercenaries have hijacked a Greek diplomat and his team of archeologist whose job was to recover and reconstruct Greek and Roman antiquities. Their objective was to force this group to reconstruct famous statues and encase them around WMD's (Weapons of Mass Destruction) along with Russian spy Intel. That is why Agent Gustov is here. We believe that if this group gets further ahead those secrets and those WMD'S will make their way to the USA where a lot of people will pay a high price for this Intel, money and the antiques which are only half of the problem. We have two names that are on our radar, these person of interest Nathan Lancer and John Reid are at the top of our list. Our sources tell us that they are behind an underground mercenary team called The Aries Project. We believe that they have some ties with an old cold case named Corvus. It was a two part phase that never saw the light of day or so we thought. Someone had been researching and gathering data on this group. But we haven't been very successful in retrieving any of this data or anything recent on it either. For some unknown reason this data has been misplaced."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey all, so here is the final chapter – literally but when I started to write I couldn't stop so I had to divide the chapter into 2 – Thanks for the world wind adventures and the reviews. I appreciated everyone who took the time to read, alert etc… This is my take on what could have happened after the infamous beach scene. **

**I don't owe Chuck all for fun – Thanks again to my loyal fans who keep returning chapter after chapter and to MRW who for some reason still knows how to keep me writing….Thanks for reading the many versions. **

**Chapter 7 – The Unveiling**

**Undisclosed location - Milan**

When General Beckman paused Sarah asked, "How long have Lancer and Reid been under radar?"

"We believe that they branched off from of a group called Corvus and used their influence and knowledge about antiques to help fund their 'side' dealings in weapons distribution," Beckman replied. "Corvus was investigated in 1993 for suspicion of selling US secrets for weapons and other espionage matters."

Carina's gaze flicked to Sarah then back to the General. "Who or what is Corvus?"

"All we know is what was retrieved from an old CIA file named Phase Three. We don't have much to go on except that it involves a lot of computer 'know how' but our team is working as we speak to find something that might help us."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"I want you and Agent Walker to find Dr. Frieda Eggleston and her colleagues. The antiques Corvus is shipping to her museum and others around the country are not as authentic as they would have everyone believe they are. When Dr. Eggleston noticed that the artifacts weren't authentic she brought it to her superior's attention. The next day the artifacts mysteriously disappeared from the museum and a week later so did the doctor. With your knowledge of the underground smuggling world and Agent Walker's ability for getting the job done you two are the only agents I trust to handle this matter."

Sarah was trying to get her head in the game but everything that Beckman was saying caused her to doubt the last few weeks. She knew she was a spy, that supposedly she was married and that her memory was gone but why would parts of that life that she'd led seep through if it wasn't true? And why would names such as Phase Three sound so familiar to her? Had one of her previous missions involved the name? Had Chuck been involved? The more she thought about it the more it hurt her head to think about it.

Beckman and Carina glanced at each other hoping that the name would trigger a memory for Sarah but she remained stoic and didn't react. The General opened the file and continued debriefing them.

"Corvus was a black ops project that preceded project Omaha. It was being led by officers of the US Army and the CIA. Corvus was designed to follow up on the progress of the Omaha project but was quickly shut down and all personnel involved were either killed or disappeared or so we thought."

"So you think there are others still out there?" Sarah asked.

"Yes," Beckman nodded. "I want you to set up surveillance on their last known location. Commander Cortez will be in touch to brief you on the latest intel. You're dismissed Agent Walker."

Carina went to follow Sarah and Cortez.

"Agent Miller?"

She stopped and turned back to Beckman. "Yes General?"

"A moment please."

Carina glanced at Sarah. "You go with Cortez, I'll catch up."

Sarah nodded and followed the Commander out of the room.

When they were alone Beckman asked, "How is Agent Walker?"

"I think Chuck was right. She hasn't completely lost her memories, they're just buried."

"What makes you think that?"

"General, tackling someone to the ground just because they remind you of someone else and remembering random things that no one has told her, means that her memories are still there, it just needs something to trigger them," Carina replied.

"She didn't seem to react when I mentioned Phase Three."

"That's a little baffling," Carina admitted. "Sarah almost lost Chuck on that mission so I thought for sure that it would trigger a memory when you mentioned it. I mean going all She-male on the guy who almost lobotomized the love of your life isn't something you forget in a hurry."

Beckman took off her glasses and placed them on her desk. "There something else Agent Miller but I don't want Agent Walker to get wind of it until I know for sure that it's going to work. Chuck believes that there's a chance Sarah's memories can be returned. He found an old file of his dad's that he thinks could be the key to reversing what Quinn did to her, but the longer it takes for him to find the key the slimmer the chances of us getting our Sarah back. Phase Three and Corvus were pertinent to the Omaha project. Corvus was designed to monitor anyone who downloaded the intersect and Phase Three was created as a backup to restore any memories that were suppressed or erased after use of the intersect was no longer valid or needed. When Orion got wind that his intersect was going to fall into the wrong hands he asked Bryce to steal the files and send them to Chuck because he knew that his son was the only one who could handle the upload and keep the secrets safe. Orion knew that Quinn and others would do anything to get their hands on the intersect. Unfortunately neither of the projects got the attention they needed or deserved however when Bryce took the files from the DNI it stopped anyone else from benefitting from them. The Belgium and Quinn came close but fortunately neither managed to get the intersect."

"What intel do you have on Quinn?"

"His CIA file has been redacted but we did get word that he was once a main stockholder and a not so by the book CIA informant that was brought in to fund the right Phase Three. Research on Phase Three was running low on money so they turned to other avenues to make the money they needed and so Corvus had no choice but to get on board. This didn't sit well with Orion – he didn't want his research to be funded by guns, drugs or anything else. Threats to both projects was the driving force behind Orion doing what he did because he didn't want his efforts to go to waste."

"And the Belgium?"

"When he took Chuck we found out that Quinn advised him that if he removed the intersect from Chuck's brain Quinn could then upload the Intel himself. The Belgium agreed thinking that he was going to make a lot of money. When the name Corvus surfaced on our database and was tied to Lancer and Reid, the CIA reopened the file."

"But what would Corvus want with WMDs?"

"I don't know. There are many layers of firewalls to bypass before we can determine what if anything they have to do with this. Until then our goal is to find Dr. Eggleston and her colleagues. Hopefully in finding them we can retrieve more intel. Keep me posted on any changes with Agent Walker."

"Will do," Carina replied leaning back on the table beside her.

**Castle**

Chuck walked back to his computer and saw that his phone was flashing indicating that a text had recently come through. He read the message from Carina and smiled when he saw the picture she'd sent him of Sarah in a black dress; she still had the power to take his breath away. He sat down and rubbed the tip of his finger over the picture then pocketed his phone and rolled his chair over to the scanner as the receipt that he'd found in his dad's stuff finally got a hit. He brought up the files and crossed referenced the information realizing that what he'd feared or better yet assumed was true. As soon as he looked at the watermark, which had a familiar design to it, he flashed and saw images of him downloading the intersect as a child, his dad's files, his mom supressing his memories, images of the Ring and Fulcrum and finally images of the factory that recreated antiques. When he snapped out of it he grabbed the edge of the table wondering why this flash had been so much stronger than the others. He walked over to the safe where he kept his governors, punched in the code and heard the lock click open. He opened the door and a faint green light shone over the encased governors which was the only thing he had left of his dads.

He slid the shadow box out from its domain and opened it running his fingers thoughtfully over the watches as he recalled the day his dad had been tweaking them not too far from where he was standing now. He smiled. It had been around the time he and Sarah were just starting to get back on track and were trying to put Paris behind them, well most of it anyway. There were some things he'd never forget like the first time he'd made love to Sarah. He sighed and reached for one of the governors, closed the box and returned it to its home, closed the safe door and walked back to his chair. He sat down and stared at the watch then secured it to his wrist. A familiar sensation ran through his system and he immediately felt at ease again once the governor had worked its magic.

**Milan**

Sarah and Carina walked through the armory adding items for their extraction. To Sarah this felt like the first mission she'd had since the CAT Squad had disbanded. Carina on the other hand had to keep her mind focused on why she was really there. She wondered if she should tell Sarah the real reason they were doing this or let fate do the work for her. She knew Chuck wouldn't let her down or give up on Sarah. They just needed to get through this mission and hope that there was a happy ending for all of them.

Sarah zipped up the last bag and tossed it into the Range Rover, grabbed her small pistol and strapped it to her right thigh. She secured her vest of magazines and quickly put her hair into a pony tail. When Commander Cortez and Agent Gustoz entered the garage and opened the doors the morning sun was just starting to inch its way over the horizon.

"Morning ladies," Cortez said. "We need to be at our destination by night fall. We believe that Dr. Eggleston is being held captive near the borders of Austria and Switzerland in Liechtenstein. Our last known contact came from a small village called Balzers which sits on the Rhine River. We'll drive as far as we can then take a boat into Balzer. Satellite images of an area north of our destination showed us several trucks were entering and exiting in the last few weeks. We believe that this is where the doctor is and where the shipments are being packaged to be sent to Switzerland then to North America. If Dr. Eggleston is correct these antiques need to be found and disposed of. If at all possible Agent Walker and Miller we need to get a trace on the boxes in case one slips through our fingers."

Sarah and Carina both nodded then they buckled up and headed north.

Sarah looked up as they drove back into Milan. The morning sun was casting a heavenly glow over the town. She closed her eyes and embraced the warmth on her face. Her mind drifted and she unknowingly smiled when a vivid image appeared of two strong hands lightly feathering her lower back. The window was open as the satin curtains blew in the wind brushing her legs and upper body. The two strong hands moved upward caressing her shoulders. Sarah arched her back and leaned her head on the chest of the person behind her. She lost her inhibitions as a subtle warm breath covered her naked shoulder and reached back to loop her arms around the neck of the person behind her and brought his lips closer to her skin. The strong arms circled her shoulders and rested around her waist as his lips traced the contours of her body.

Carina looked over at Sarah. It looked like she was remembering something and judging by the smile on her face it was obviously something she was enjoying.

Sarah reached for the strong hands and brought them to her lips then returned them to her waist and looked up to see her knight in shining armor. They smiled at each other and she slowly wet her lips anticipating what was coming next. The closeness could be felt in more ways than one and she tilted her head slightly.

Carina nudged Sarah's arm. "Hey there sleeping beauty, we're here."

Sarah hated the interruption. She didn't want what she had just remembered to end. She wasn't sure if it had been a dream or had actually happened. She hadn't seen his face so she didn't know who it was that had the power to make her feel this way.

Carina grinned at her. "Care to share?"

"Share what?"

"What you were just thinking about. It was very clear at this end that it was pretty hot or close to being hot and judging by the deep shade of red in your cheeks I'm guessing that it was almost climatic."

"I don't know what you're talking about. It was the sun hitting my face and nothing more."

Carina knew that the sun didn't make a person blush like that. Sarah had remembered something and if she was a betting woman she'd place odds on it having something to do with Chuck.

**Balzer **

Cortez grabbed the ammo and bags and tossed them onto the boat. He decided to stay behind in case they needed help once they extracted the doctor and her team. Sarah and Carina jumped into the boat with Gustov and they headed north to Balzer. He killed the engine so as not to draw attention to themselves, as they floated past the village and along the shoreline until they came up to a small clearing of trees that led to a boulder type wall. It had once housed a Catholic Church that had been built in the mid 1700's but later fell to the ground after several invasions in the area but some remains were still visible throughout the wooded area.

They floated into the clearing and Sarah jumped out of the boat and pulled it closer to the shore. Carina tied it to a large tree and grabbed her bag. Gustov and both agents crouched down near the shore to look at the map. They needed to wait till the sun went down or at least went over the tops of the tree line. Sarah looked at the map and saw that a small river or high creek led to where they believed the team were being held. Carina knew what Sarah was thinking. The more Carina thought about this mission the more she noticed the similarities to the Thailand mission and hoped that Sarah saw it too.

Sarah grabbed her stuff, placed her supplies in a waterproof bag and strapped it to her back. Carina and Gustov cocked their guns and headed through the trees. They agreed to meet at the entrance of the compound on the east side where the water edged the south side. Sarah waded through the water and swam a fair ways till instinct kicked in and her knife found its home between her teeth. She edged closer to the surface and bobbled ever so slightly watching for Carina's call. When she saw two men dressed in dark clothing she silently crept out of the water and stabbed both of them in the back as they fell to the ground. She grabbed her bag from the shore and leaned it against the tree as she scanned the compound. Carina and Gustov walked closer to the compound dodging noisy minions along the way. Carina and Gustov reached the clearing as Sarah quietly moved out of the bush.

"Any problems?"

Sarah smiled. "Nothing I couldn't handle. It was like old times creeping through the water and jumping the bad guys."

She had never done anything like that on any of their missions with the CAT Squad so Carina knew that it had to be something Sarah had remembered from past missions with Chuck.

Gustov tapped his receiver and sent an update to Cortez and the base back in Milan. The sun had gone down and darkness descended quickly. Sarah reached for the night goggles, switched to infrared and picked up on a hot spot about fifty feet in front of them. She passed the goggles to Gustov and Carina. Several men were very close to them and when Gustov gave the signal Carina and Sarah dropped them like flies with a swatter. Gustov grabbed the first guy's radio and his magazine. Sarah took the lead while Gustov took her six and the three of them headed to a side window of a warehouse type building.

Sarah looked in and saw that the room was empty. She walked further and took a quick look inside. "Clear," she whispered updating them on her findings through her headset.

Gustov followed and picked off a bogey as he entered the warehouse.

Sarah targeted a few of her own then noticed that Carina had that 'I'm missing out on all the fun' look on her face. She crouched down and motioned to her to head towards the far wall where there was movement and voices.

Carina slithered closer to the entrance and reported back. "Four maybe five men plus three civilians tied up near the south wall. No sign of the doctor."

"Roger that," Sarah replied. "So where is she then?"

"Who knows," Carina shrugged. "But she has to be here somewhere."

"Is there any chance of grabbing the three civilians?" Gustov asked.

"Negative. Too many Johnnies near the door."

Gustov looked at Sarah. "Johnnies?"

"It's just an expression we use to use to describe a lot of bad guys," Sarah explained.

Gustov grinned and shook his head.

"Walker?"

"Go ahead Carina."

"If we create a distraction we can get to the three civilians but we need to be quick because there's a truck coming down the road."

'Remember we need to find a way to track this shipment.'

Sarah sighed and tried to think of a plan.

"Walker hurry, the truck is almost here!"

"Okay, I've got it," Sarah replied. "Gustov, I need you to distract the truck driver. Carina, head to the other side of the wall where the three civilians are being held. I'll get rid of the Johnnies and meet you there. Once we have the civilians we'll look for the doctor."

"Roger that," Carina replied.

Sarah waited till she heard the truck's tires screech to a halt then saw Carina ran to the wall. She popped the two guys on her left then the third as she headed towards the wall. Carina popped the fourth guy just as Sarah reached her, then they ran over to the civilians, made quick introductions while they cut the rope that had been used to tie the three people together.

"Where's the doctor?"

"We don't know," the older gentleman replied. "We lost contact with her a couple of days ago when they moved us here after kidnapping us from the Museum of Antiquities in Egypt. Dr Eggleston was told that as long as she did what they wanted we would be safe."

"What did they want her to do?"

"Something about encasing items into various antiques."

"Who are Lancer and Reid?"

The three civilians looked at each other none of them wanting to say anything.

"We don't have much time. Who are they?"

"They are …"

Gustov entered the warehouse. "We need to move now!"

Carina and Sarah led the civilians out of the room down a corridor and out of the door to the clearing by the water. Gustov started heading towards the boat.

Sarah stopped him. "Hold on, I want some answers before we leave here." She turned to the three civilians. "One more time, who are Lancer and Reid?"

The younger male, who looked like a student, glanced at the other two civilians then at Sarah and Carina. "All we know is that Lancer is an antiques dealer and Reid is some kind of US worker ... kind of like you guys."

Sarah and Carina looked shocked and Gustov immediately called Milan.

"What else do you know about them?"

The younger male continued to spill the information they needed. When Gustov got off the phone he confirmed that Milan and Beckman said they are dealing with a former NSA agent and a black market Antique dealer.

**Los Angeles – early morning**

Chuck was about to set the alarm and head up the back stairs but as he approached the elevator a beep rang throughout Castle. He turned the lights back on and went to see what it was. He followed the noise to the west wing which housed the room where Casey had worked with Director Bentley when he'd temporarily left Team Bartowski. Chuck pressed his hand against the scanner and the door slid open to the room where they had stored his dad's computer and downloaded the intersect into those two incompetent soldiers. He shook his head thinking about all the times someone had thought it was best for them to upload the intersect. It hadn't ended well for any of them and realized that the same was true of Sarah. Although he hated what the faulty intersect had done to her he had to admit that for a very brief time when they were on the bullet train it had been nice to share with her what it was like having an intersect and how it made you feel when it worked. She had been able to relate to all the physical changes and the feeling of power it gave you when you flashed. He'd never been able to share that with Morgan because he'd treated the intersect like a toy and not something that could be used for good. It made Chuck angry that Sarah was suffering because of few individuals who believed that they deserved to have the intersect. There was Shaw, The Belgium, Volkoff, Quinn and others that his dad had put away long before Bryce had sent the files to him.

Chuck traced the beep to a sub panel in the wall. When he opened it he found a standard electrical box then noticed a red light beeping on the right side near the back. He couldn't reach it and looked around for something to open the panel. He found a tool box and pulled out a hand drill. Once he'd removed the screws and slid the panel forward he reached behind and pulled out the box with the red light. He returned the panel to its rightful spot and closed the door. Walking back to the main area of Castle he placed the box on the table and ran his finger around the edges trying to find a way in. When he didn't find anything he pressed on the box hoping it might trigger a switch or something.

When he pressed the red light the box opened. He forced the lid up and removed the contents. The papers had been folded in half then in half again. He unfolding them and came across several pages that were torn out of a CIA file that belonged to Tatum Reid Black Ops Commander Corvus; Black Rock, LA 2005; Aries Project 2003 – missions included: Honduras, 1989; Kuwait 1990 – 1995, Solvenia 1995- 1997; Russia 1999- 2001. Team Members: Colonel John Casey; Captain Tony Hanselman; Terrance Burke; Andy Wiggans; Status: Unknown, last known where abouts Black Rock/Corvus 2004.

Chuck flashed on the names and missions some of which included John Casey and his dad. After the flashes subsided he continued reading then said out loud, "Who left these pages here? "Who knew I would find them and how did they know that it would go off right at this exact moment in time?" He had another piece of the puzzle but after the flash his head was hurting so he decided to call it a night. He folded the papers and put them back in the box and locked it in the safe under the stairs. When he arrived back at his apartment he fell onto the couch and as soon as his head hit the pillow he fell asleep.

**Outskirts of LA County**

When the light stopped flashing indicating that the box had been found he smiled and picked up the phone. It rang three times then a female voice answered.

"Hello."

"It's done, the box has been found."

"Now what?"

"We can't talk like this."

"When can I see you?"

"Soon."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I'm hoping that we won't be needed much longer but we need to lie low for a while. Hopefully Quinn, Lancer and Reid will come out of hiding soon. I know that they're looking for the old man."

"Does he know about the old man?"

"A good disguise can fool most men. You just need to know which one works for you."

"You have been doing very well with it."

"Indeed, we will meet at our regular spot at our regular time."

"Okay."

"Goodnight dear Mary."

"Goodnight."

**MILAN**

Sarah paced the floor as Carina sat with her legs crossed filing her nails. Carina looked up for the millionth time and saw Sarah put her fingers to her mouth which was a sign that she was really thinking about something and it didn't look good. "Walker, will you please sit down! You're making me dizzy and wearing a groove in the floor."

Sarah found a chair and sat down not too pleased to be sitting around waiting for orders when she knew who to hunt down. One thing she did remember was how long it took Beckman to give them orders. She remembered a few missions that she, Chuck and Casey had snuck out on. They had paid the piper later of course but even back then she couldn't just sit and wait.

Carina looked up. "Did you remember something?"

"It's nothing major."

"It's a step forward though so that's got to be good, right?"

Sarah nodded then the door opened and they both stood up as Commander Cortez and Agent Gustov entered the room.

"We have new Intel and after talking to the civilians we just picked up we know that the last delivery was sent to a warehouse in Paris but it needs to stay put until we can find a secure location to move it to State side."

"Let's go!"

"Hang on Walker. Unfortunately we don't have the exact coordinates and Beckman doesn't want us to go in blind. She's having her people do some checking and will advise us how to proceed in a few hours."

"All we need to do is search for the delivery times and check what was shipped out," Sarah replied. "We can use local CCTV to ID the truck, satellite footage, bank statements …." She looked at Carina. "How did I know all that?"

**Washington**

Beckman waited for the person on the other end of the line to pick up. "Mary, it's Diane."

"It's been a while since we spoke," Mary replied.

"Yes it has," Beckman agreed. "I just got word from Milan that Sarah and Carina have found three of Dr. Eggleston's team. She is still missing but we think she's in Paris with Lancer. Did Chuck find the information on Reid?"

"Yes, the box was found tonight local time," Mary replied. "We hope that he flashed on the files Stephen put in there. His last upload had just enough room for them."

Beckman nodded. "Where's Chuck now?"

"He crashed a few hours ago; it's three in the morning here."

"How do you want to proceed?"

"Chuck needs to find the last key. If he doesn't find it soon Sarah's time will run out."

"Carina said that Sarah is starting to remember things," Beckman said.

"Really?"

"Yes, nothing major but it proves that her memories are just suppressed and not erased."

"Ok I'll pass that on," Mary said. "What else?"

"I need Chuck to do a search on a shipment that left Egypt a month ago via Paris," Beckman said telling Mary everything she knew.

"Do you think Chuck is ready for this?"

"He has no choice," Beckman replied. "He's already involved whether he wants to be or not."

**ECHO PARK – 07:00**

Chuck threw the covers onto the floor and reached for the phone. He despised anyone who was up at this time in the morning. He tried to focus on the screen and saw that it said, 'blocked unknown caller'. He hesitated but due to his lack of sleep good judgement wasn't on his side. "Hello?" he said in a sleepy groggy voice.

"Charles?"

"Mom? Do you know what time it is?"

"Sorry, I was wondering if you wanted to meet for breakfast?"

"I thought you were in Chicago with Ellie."

"I was but I had to come back for something. I'm going back to Chicago later in the week."

Chuck yawned. "I'll meet you in an hour."

"Ok son."

Chuck sat up as he ran his hands through his hair and said to the empty room, "Another sleepless night on the couch without my wife." He got up and crawled into the shower then heard his phone ringing again. He quickly shut the water off, grabbed a towel and hurried into the bedroom. He ran over to his phone and saw that it was an encrypted call from Beckman. He pressed accept and sat on the bed. "Morning General."

"Good morning Chuck."

"What can I do for you General?"

"Just checking in to see where you are at."

There were a lot of coincidences; first his mom calling out of the blue and now Beckman calling him and all after he'd found those pages and he wondered if it meant anything. "Actually there has been development." He told her what he'd found out.

Beckman wasn't surprised that he'd come so far. "Chuck, I need you to find a shipment that was taken from Egypt. We believe that this is the one. The three civilians that Sarah and Carina rescued said that Dr. Eggleston knew of its contents and that's why she was kidnapped. We also know that Lancer is a black market antiques dealer and Tatum Reid is or was one of us so this is a top priority."

"Ok send all the Intel you have on Egypt to Castle and I'll get on to it right away. I think we need to call Casey."

"I know he would love to help you in this matter. Do you have his number?"

"Yes."

"I'll contact Sarah and Carina and tell them to head to Paris. I need you there as well Chuck in case they need your computer expertise plus they'll need you to flash on Lancer."

"But!"

"Sorry Chuck we can't wait for you this time. Whether Sarah is ready to see you or not you need to be there. That's an order."

"Ok," he sighed. "I'll call you later."

"I'll have a jet on standby for your departure later today," Beckman replied. "Goodbye."

"Bye General," Chuck said pressing 'end' on his phone then he walked over to his closet to get dressed. He grabbed Sarah's black bag that she used on missions then the steel case to see if there was enough ammo in it. He threw in a few more guns and as he placed them in the bag he saw Sarah's leather jacket. He pulled it out and he smell engulfed his senses. He missed that smell. He thought about all the times she'd worn the jacket. He called it her super jacket because every time she put it on she became Sarah the spy and superwoman but when she took it off she was his Sarah. He put it back in the bag thinking that maybe he could use it as a peace offering for invading her space when she'd asked him to leave her alone. He checked his watch and saw that it was already 7:45 so he grabbed his bags, dumped them in the car and went to meet his mother. 

Mary sat in a small booth at the ihop. She knew Chuck loved this place especially the pancakes so she'd ordered him a large stack with eggs and bacon, orange juice and coffee. She stood up when he walked in and welcomed him with a warm hug.

"Good to see you again mom."

"You too son," she smiled.

As soon as they sat down the food arrived and Chuck smiled at his mom. "You remembered."

"Of course," she replied motioning for him to start eating.

Three bites later after he'd washed down a mouthful of pancake with some orange juice he sat back. "So how have you been?"

"Good."

"How are Ellie, Clara and Devon?"

"Also good, they are starting to settle down in Chicago," Mary told him. "Their jobs keep them busy and Clara is growing like a weed." She took out some photos and showed them to him.

"I miss them," Chuck admitted then continued eating his breakfast.

"How have you been?"

He gave her his infamous 'I'm ok' look but Mary wasn't fooled and she didn't really care for his new bearded look. "You don't look ok. It's obvious you haven't been sleeping and what's with the new look?"

Chuck was too emotionally drained to argue with his mom so he just shrugged and continued eating his breakfast when the waitress stopped by their table to refill their cups with coffee. He watched his mom as she sipped her coffee knowing that this visit was more than a reunion – she wanted something or knew something. When the waitress moved on to the next customer he said, "Okay, spill it mom."

"What do you mean?"

"I love the fact that you're here but I find it very interesting that your call came out of the blue after what I found last night."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mary deadpanned. "What did you find?"

"You know."

"No I don't, I …"

"You know something but you're not saying," Chuck replied wondering why she kept looking to her left. He turned around to see what she was looking at and caught a glimpse of the old man he'd had coffee with several weeks ago. He was about to get up to go and talk to him when Mary grabbed his arm and shook her head.

"But he's getting away!" Chuck protested.

"I know ... please sit down." When he didn't move she said, "Please Chuck!"

"Mom I need to talk to him, he knows something."

Mary gave him a pointed look trying to hide the fact that she knew the old man.

Chuck sighed and sat down.

"This is so hard for me to tell you, but ..."

"What? Another secret? You know that man, don't you?"

When Mary was slow to respond he asked again this time with a little bit more authority in his voice. "Mom, do you know that man?"

Chuck sat back in this seat waiting to see how his mom was going to get her way out of this one. He knew she knew something, but what and how much was anyone's guess.

"I know that getting Sarah back is your highest priority and that you're finding pieces of the puzzle but you're not sure what it all means or why things are happening like they are. You need to stay focused and stop worrying about ..." 

"About who mom," Chuck interjected. "The old man that you kept looking at?"

"In time it will all become clear but right now I need to know what you found."

Chuck folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his seat then he took a deep breath and told his mom everything.

"And you believe that your dad's research will make this happen?"

"Yes I do," he nodded. "No one has found or had the very first prototype of the intersect. I believe that when dad created it and tried it on himself he had to create a way to restore his memories in order to prove to the CIA that it worked. It all made sense after you told us that dad created it as a tool and after what I found in Beckman's files, but the longer we wait the harder it will be to get back what Sarah lost. Dad mentioned in his files that when the intersect is suppressed or memories are lost after a download the brain has the capabilities to restart itself by reprogramming what has been suppressed. If a person's memory is suppressed multiple times they will lose them for good but if it's only happened once with something like a flash card then there's a good chance that they memories can be restored."

Mary was proud of him for figuring it out and gave him an indulgent smile.

Chuck continued to talk oblivious to his mom's reaction. "If several suppressors are used the brain may go into a lock down mode to protect itself from further damage. If a person has lost their memories completely the brain has to be reprogrammed. This can be done with stories, data or pictures uploaded. In extreme cases the person may need more than one session. Like the download of an intersect file the brain is able to hold a lot of data if given the right chemical makeup. If a person doesn't have the right chemical makeup and has downloaded a faulty intersect it can cause irreparable damage that the person may not recover from. So that is where we are at right now. Mom, I can't have Sarah be gone forever."

_Mary was shocked but not surprized that Stephen had saved that much information but Chuck still needed to get the parts for the key from Reid as he was the last remaining member of the team besides Dr. Eggleston. Stephen, Rourke and Hartley made three keys and each one used their own key; Hartley turned into Volkoff and the effects changed his personality. Rourke had Stephen reproduce the intersect to create a small army of intersects but instead he reversed the process to allow his son to have the intersect removed. Stephen had Bryce steal the third key years ago and gave it to Chuck. Several upgrades and several suppressors later, and Quinn's attempt to get the intersect back where it belongs, but Stephen also gave copies to two CIA agents that he trusted. One like a son and one who could do the job and protect the intersect. Unlike Bryce, Reid wasn't as loyal and Beckman was more of an office wife to him so who better than his real wife could keep a secret this big. But Chuck had to put the pieces together himself. Mary just had to point him in the right direction and meeting the old man might help him to do that. Chuck had the facts but he needed faith to make it all work out. _

**Later that day ...**

Chuck looked at his watch. His mom had given him the old man's address but he didn't have much time to going on a manhunt for someone who may or may not be able to help him because he needed to be at the airport later that night to fly to Paris. He walked down a road into China Town that he had walked on too many times before; one special time on his date with Sarah and Morgan. He laughed when a door opened and he heard Private Eyes blaring from one of the stores. He checked the address again and headed up the stairs adjacent to, of all places, a restaurant that specialized in sizzling shrimp. He was starting to dislike all these coincidences.

Chuck walked down the narrow hallway and had to duck several times as his tall frame wasn't designed for this particular apartment. He looked at the numbers on the doors then checked his piece of paper again.

_Apartment 3B. Yes this was the one._

Chuck stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket and knocked on the door. He heard rustling and wondered if the old man would try and make a run for it. He didn't want to run after him then again how far could an old man get before he caught up to him? He heard the chain on the door move and the deadbolts turn then the door opened slightly with the chain still attached. The eyes of the older man could only be seen. The eyes scanned up and down then closed the door. The chain was removed and the door was opened. "Come in."

When Chuck entered the apartment the old man quickly checked the hallway to make sure that he hadn't been followed. The apartment was small but quaint. In fact it was so small that you'd have to go outside to change your mind. The old man pointed to a seat and Chuck sat down. He tried to get comfortable on the chair which was near on impossible to do with his knees up to his face.

The old man walked over to small kitchen to put the kettle on the stove. Chuck couldn't help noticing the familiarities of that walk as it was very much the same as another person he'd had the opportunity to watch years ago after Sarah had helped him find his dad. He thought for a second that this man could be his dad or maybe his lack of sleep and the ability to think clearly were playing against him. When the old man returned Chuck was finally able to see him face to face which wasn't that hard due to his lack of height. He decided that the man was way too short to be a Bartowski.

The old man tapped Chuck's shoulder as he sat down. He had thinning grey hair and aged skin and Chuck figured that he had to be in his seventies at least. He had obviously worked hard in his life given his weathered look. He looked up when he heard the whistle of the kettle and the old man smiled. "Don't worry my son I'll get it."

"Okay," Chuck said looking around the apartment. There were no pictures to tell him anything about this man and who he was and he hadn't flashed on him either which meant he wasn't in the intersect.

The old man returned with two cups of tea. His hands shook as he handed one of the cups to Chuck who quickly grabbed it before it spilled. The old man sat down and sipped his tea.

Chuck sniffed the tea and decided that if the old man hadn't croaked it was probably safe to drink so he took a sip and nodded his approval. "Not bad."

"You thought that I put something in it, didn't you?"

Chuck's face went six shades red. "Actually I was just waiting for it to cool a bit."

The old man let out a hearty laugh. "Always the spy, aren't you?"

"Why would you think that?" Chuck asked curious as to how the old man had known.

"Your father would have done the same thing," he smiled. "Your mother told me that she thought you were ready to meet me. It's been a long time coming and I really don't know how you're going to react once I tell you who I really am. I've kept my identity a secret to protect you and your sister. We're in a fickle business; it can be on your side one minute and stab you in the back the next. When I started with the CIA it was a new agency but their goal has never wavered. 'Know your enemies and keep your friends close' … it's usually your friends who stab you in the back but if you're lucky a few will be with you for life like Casey, Larkin and Walker. They are loyal but a little unpredictable at times."

"So you tell me but how am I supposed to believe you? Anyone could know who my friends are but how do I know that you're who you say you are which by the way you haven't said yet."

The old man remained silent.

"If what you're saying is true it won't help me now, will it? Bryce Larkin is dead, John Casey is off somewhere and my wife doesn't know who I am so can we cut the small chat and move on? I have a plane to catch."

"To meet Sarah?"

"How did you know that?"

"You just told me."

Chuck was tired of playing this game but knew he had to play his cards carefully. His dad had taught him that. He had to figure out who this man was because it didn't look like he was going to tell him. "Can you just tell me what you have to say because I have a ..."

"Ya ... ya ... ya, I know, you have a plane to catch. You already told me that. Patience is wasted on the young." The old man got up and walked over to the corner shelf and pulled out a file which he placed in Chuck's hand. "This should tell you what you need to know." He got up to refill his cup and watched from the kitchen.

Chuck opened up the file and noticed that it belonged to Stephen J Bartowski. He browsed through the thick file. It was one he hadn't seen before and he wondered why the old man had it. He quickly scanned the papers then came across a worn letter entitled 'Spy will of Stephen J Bartowski'. He swallowed hard and read the will.

_Spy Will of Stephen J Bartowski _

_June 27, 1990 – revised Sept 15, 2009_

_If you're reading this letter then I guess I didn't make it. I can't say that I lived a bad life but the life I led was not one to brag about. I lived two lives for so long that I forgot who I was. I sacrificed my marriage, my children and what I believed in. To my wife I leave my heart and all the years we had together. Though most of them were apart we did manage to create two wonderful children, Eleanor and Charles. You knew life as a spy would be dangerous and the years we spent apart was because we chose to protect our friends – Hartley was family and we never leave family behind, that is what you told me - even when things don't go as planned. And because of that you missed out on the best years with our kids. I tried to do my best but in the end I failed. The spy life got the best of me. It took me away from my kids but my hands weren't tied either. The day I left I was going to make pancakes but ended up watching my children fend for themselves. I can't take the credit for how well they turned out, they just did. One's a doctor and the other is an engineer. Somewhere, somehow, they turned out ok. _

_To my dad whom is all that I had to rely on. He was my rock when my world turned upside down. He was my eyes when I couldn't see and he was the voice that my children needed and even though they were young, angry and confused at the time you never left them._

Chuck looked up. "You're my grandpa?"

The old man wiped a tear away.

"You need to finish reading my son …"

Chuck tried to hold back the tears as he continued reading.

_Chuck I figured that you're the one reading this as Eleanor wouldn't understand but please let her knows that I loved her always. I hope that one day when she has a child of her own she will know how important children are to their parents. Chuck I hope that you and Sarah are together and that things worked out and if by chance thing are not going as planned then remember that you never leave family behind. I want you to know that I didn't want you to become a spy but you're stubborn like your granddad and your parents and I knew that you could take care of yourself when Bryce sent you the intersect. I knew that my efforts wouldn't be wasted but I sensed that one day they would come for me and they will come for you too. I am tired of hiding, not from the job, but from my family. I need you to continue what I have put my whole life on hold for. I know that you can handle it all because I have seen you in action. I want you to get married and have a family of your own and to keep this secret safe. People will hunt you down and hurt you but you're a Bartowski so I know that you'll prevail._

_I don't want you to be angry at your granddad. He was doing what was right at the time but as the years went on it was just easier to watch from the side lines. He knows everything and I mean everything. He wasn't too pleased when I told him what I was doing and that you had uploaded the intersect when you were nine but he knew the sacrifices we have to make even when they aren't the smartest ones. _

_Take care of your mom for me. You're the man of the house now. Your mom needs you more than ever even if she says she's fine – look again – she wears her heart on her sleeve just like you. Chuck you are the best of both of us and I couldn't have asked for a better son. The few moments we had together were wonderful. You found me and believed in me when no one else did so I thank you for that. Without your persistence and curiosity we wouldn't be where we are today. _

_I leave well honestly I don't know what to leave. I guess everything that is at the cabin is yours and can be divided amongst you and your sister. My life's work is there. The old house was just a decoy in case something happened. My files are encoded with a special quote so hopefully if I am not there I hope you will know what to do about it. Talk to you granddad if things take a turn for the worse. He has the answers and even when he doesn't he likes to listen. If the intersect falls into the wrong hands I have set up many alternative methods to make or break what is out there. There were officially three keys made for Rourke, Hartley and me. We agreed to start with three and each one at the time was good for certain things. I decided to create more just to be on the safe side and to create copies that could restore, upload and change a person's mental state. My copies have a self-destruct mechanism built in if by chance the wrong person gets hold of it. I gave sample copies to Tatum Reid who at the time was a loyal friend and the other to General Diane Beckman. Each copy has a limited storage capability so whomever tries to go further with the creation of the intersect will fail. Charles you have the only complete upgrade that people know about. _

_People to watch out for, Reid for one – by now he knows that the one I gave him isn't the right one and he will be looking for the right one and after all these years – well he wasn't a patient man back then so I am assuming he isn't much of one now._

_Quinn – who was our money maker – he was a little angry that I had Bryce take the intersect from the DNI – Quinn believes that he earned it. If he comes your way I hope and pray he doesn't succeed. _

_Chuck before I go – if and I hope that it is a big IF – that if something goes wrong and the intersect causes someone you love to fall and memories are erased you will find a way to get them back. I tried to predict any and all possibilities but there could be one that I never thought of. You need to find a key that looks like a light saber from Star Wars – I know what you're thinking but I had to make it look like something that wouldn't attract too much attention if it got misplaced. When you have it – it needs to be turned on. This involves matching up a sequence that I have hidden within the casing of the key. Once the key has been deciphered you need to hook it up to a computer and have the person look at a screen - images will appear on the screen reversing what was suppressed. You may need to do more than one application but Charles it only has two trials and it is time-sensitive so you need to hurry. Once the cipher is activated you don't have much time. _

_The person will need to be watched and monitored. Vitals and brain waves need to be watched. Hopefully this will work. If the key is activated and not used for what it is intended the results could be devastating. You have seen what it could do on a small scale – you saw it with Rourke – if Reid gets a hold of it and with his connections I hate to see what will happen and you thought that the Ring and Fulcrum was a handful. Reid wants to raise Corvus from the dead and make it his own. Corvus's file is in the one you're reading right now. It will explain what you need to know. Charles I love you my son. Be safe._

_Aces Charles, Love Dad_

Chuck closed the file, dried his eyes with his sleeve and stood up. The old man stood straight as Chuck walked towards him and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you granddad, my name is Charles or Chuck for short."

The old man extended his right hand. "Nice to meet you Charles or Chuck for short. My name is Charles Stephen Bartowski."

Chuck leaned in as his granddad embraced him for the first time in his memory then he pulled back and looked at his watch. "I'm sorry to cut this short but I have to go."

"I know but I feel better now that you finally know and we will catch up when you get back. I want to meet your wife."

Chuck smiled and gave his granddad another hug this time a little longer. He attempted to give the file back but Charles senior shook his head. "You need something to read. You have a long trip ahead of you."

Chuck smiled, placed the file under his arm and said goodbye.

**LAX**

Chuck boarded the jet that Beckman had arranged for him and fastened his seatbelt. He had six hours to get his head back in the game and learn about his father all over again. He felt the plane take off and as it ascended to the heavens he closed his eyes. An hour later Chuck awoke and glanced over to the table where he'd left the file. He stretched his legs and grabbed the jet's phone. He dialed a number remembering when Casey had told that his fingers better be on fire if he ever used it. He waited for the machine to kick in, left a message and hoped that Casey would get it before it was too late.

**Milan and Paris**

Carina carefully shook Sarah awake, grabbed her gear and left the room. They decided to take the train to Paris. Sarah raised her arms above her head and stretched trying to wake up. She'd had another restless sleep and she knew why but was done trying to figure it out. She grabbed her gear and followed Carina and Gustov to the train station. They had parked near the station so as not to miss the first train of the day.

Gustov sat down and distributed the coffees and day old muffins he'd bought. "I know it's not croissants but it will have to do."

"Its fine," Sarah smiled and took a sip of her coffee.

Carina grabbed her phone and walked a little ways from the other two and sent Chuck a message.

**Chuck we are off 2 Paris, good lead GB still hasn't given us much 2 go on but 2 go 2 Paris 4 now. Hope u get this. **

Chuck replied instantly.

**That makes 2 of us. GB must know something. ETA 4 hours.**

Carina looked at her phone and was shocked that Chuck was actually coming to Paris.

**Is it a good idea? R u ready 4 contact?**

**No but after what I found out I have no choice even if she says otherwise.**

**Is it good info?**

**Yes and no ... will fill u in l8ter. How is she?**

**Tired ... the fog is clearing slowly ... very slowly!**

**Hopefully there will be bright skies ahead.**

**Indeed. Got to go. Train is here.**

**OK. C u soon.**

**I'll send u a new pic to tie u over.**

**U r the best.**

**C u soon chuckles.**

Carina boarded the train and sat down.

Sarah noticed that Carina had been on her phone."Who did you call?"

Carina was taken aback by Sarah's question but being Carina she always had an answer. "My friend, the one who got us the room, I told him that we had to head back to the States but appreciated his hospitality."

"Well that was nice of you."

"Did you have a good time at least?"

"I guess so. I felt that at the time it was designed just for me. I know it wasn't but it felt that every detail was made for me, for us."

"No don't think that is wasn't – if you felt that it was then it was. It was what you needed at the time."

"Right," Sarah nodded then sat back and leaned against the wall.

**Aboard the EuroStar – enroute to PARIS**

The train sped through the southern part of Switzerland as Sarah stared out of the train window. The snow-capped mountains were a far cry from the desert looking areas of Milan. As they approach the train station in Lausanne another feeling of familiarity surge through her subconscious. She knew after the last memory that these memories weren't happening by chance. Whether fate or someone was watching out for her and the more she invested in this mission the more her life or the life she was told about could be a reality. She couldn't control what her brain was doing to her. She just had to hope that this was the end of it.

The train took off leaving the quaint little town in the distance and headed towards Paris.

**Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle **

The jet landed and the doors opened as Interpol agents greeted Chuck. Chuck grabbed his bags and jumped into a black suburban.

The ride he enjoyed as it drove into Paris. Chuck stared at the Effiel Tower and the hotel that he and Sarah spent their first time together in. Chuck thought that he could handle coming back here but each sidewalk, sign and corner reminded him of her. Chuck rolled up his window not able to handle the sights any longer. The scenery changed as the car drove into Interpol French Office. Chuck jumped out and headed to the elevator. Chuck was shown a room where General Beckman had set aside. The room of course faced the tower and Chuck felt a deep ache in his heart that he had to stare at the tower plus see Sarah after all these weeks. Chuck placed his gear on the table and gave the officer his list of equipment that he needed. The junior officer left the room. Chuck was about to sit down when there was a knock at the door. Chuck looked up to see a mid aged woman walking towards him.

"Bonjour Agent Carmicheal."

Chuck had to remember that he was not Chuck today.

"Oui, bonjour and you are?"

"Sorry Interpol Agent Andrea Bourassa."

Chuck greeted her with a hand shake.

"Is there anything that I can get you?"

"No I don't…well maybe. I gave my list to the officer so once I get what I need I can start my search. But I will need access to your train and airline schedules for the last month or so and if possible your known smuggling routes."

"Anything else?" As Andrea smiled at Chuck.

"Maybe a coffee?"

"Certainly, anything in it?"

"Oh yeah 1 crème 2 sugars."

"Ok I will be right back."

Andrea left and Chuck sat down. This was the first time since he arrived that he was able to breathe. In a few short hours Sarah will be here.

**EuroStar**

Carina noticed the sign as they sped by that read Paris 100 miles. Carina had to stay quiet as she didn't want to spill the fact that Chuck was going to be there when they arrived. Carina didn't know that when she accepted the job of being there for Sarah it would be hard on her as well. Carina liked to talk and keeping quiet wasn't her forte. But she promised Chuck that she would watch out for her and pretend that she knew nothing. But when Sarah sees Chuck and finds out – Carina didn't know what Sarah would do or say.

Sarah finished looking at the paper and saw the worried look on Carina's face. Sarah was thankful that Carina had been by her side these last few weeks. Sarah didn't know how she would have gotten through what she was going through. Sarah believed that the fact that Carina didn't know about Chuck made it easier for her to deal or maybe accept what was happening to her.

"So what's up, you look worried? Is it the mission?"

"Oh no, just thinking that's all."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well aren't we the …."

"Hahhaah spill it."

"Just thinking, about the life you lived for the last five years, I am assuming that it wasn't that bad or you would have said so. Even if you don't remember there had to been pictures or stories that you were told to you that proved that the time was well spent. Plus to have married a guy any guy whether it was a part of the mission or not you Sarah Walker married a guy? Which I recall was something that you would have never done even if you knew what you were getting yourself into."

Sarah mauled over what Carina had just said. And she was totally right or was she?

"Yeah I was told hundreds of stories. I even asked Chuck to tell us our story and by the time he was done my eyes were so sore from crying that I didn't think that I had tears left. I am not a crier. But for some reason Chuck was able to break several layers as he called them around me. I don't know how he did it but he did. Everyone from his mom to his best friend told me stories. And each one that told me stories every version was the same."

"So how did that make you feel?"

"I didn't want to leave Chuck the way I did but I needed time and he graciously backed away. I guess he knew from practice when to say something and when not to."

"So why haven't you talked to him?"

"I told him that I would come to him."

"That's not like you."

"Why isn't it?"

"Why would you want a guy like this Chuck to sit around and wait for you? You left him, on the beach right?" Sarah nodded. "So what makes you think that he stuck around, he seems to be a decent catch, maybe he's off…"

"Chuck wouldn't do that." Very adamantly replied.

Carina smiled inside, the old Sarah wouldn't have given a rat's ass second thought whether Chuck stuck around or not. Sarah was under his spell and always would be.

"Are you sure?"

Carina got up and left Sarah thinking about what she had just said. Sarah thought now what. She is in Paris and he is in California. How was she going to talk to him now? Would he talk to her after all these weeks, was he waiting for her?'

The train started to slow down as passengers started to grab their bags. Gustov motioned to the girls that their contact was waiting for them by the ticket booth. Sarah grabbed her bag, as the door swung open she wished that she had a jacket. She didn't plan on being out in the field. Gustov introduced the girls to his partner Marcel Devereux. After the pleasantries the opened the doors to a black BMW and sped off.

**Interpol Office – Paris**

Chuck had finished his coffee and connected the last connector to his labtop. He flipped the switch and General Beckman came on the screen.

"Greetings Chuck, you made it. Yeah it's very early here but I made it."

"Good, so are you set up?"

"Yeah I think so. I have logged into Interpols main frame so hopefully we will get a hit on Lancer, maybe Reid."

"So what did you find out with your mom?"

"How did you know that I met with my mom?"

Chuck looked up. He didn't have to ask by the way she was looking back at him.

"Well you won't believe this or you probably will. I met my grandfather. The mystery man that I was trying to find happens to be my grandfather."

"Did he tell you anything?"

"Yeah he told me that I had to look out for Quinn if by chance I came across him and that Reid couldn't be trusted."

"So how are you doing?"

"Hasn't sunk in yet. I mean finding out that my grandfather is still alive and that my dad's memory lives on and that there is a chance to get Sarah's memories back. I have hope.."

"Agent Walker and Miller!" General Beckman shocked to say the least that they were there.

Chuck turned around to see what he thought he had just heard. Chuck took a deep breath as he stared at his wife standing at the door. Sarah tried to put on her spy face but she knew that Chuck would see right through it.

"Chuck."

"S-Sarah. You look…."

"General hello."

"Agent Walker how was the train ride."

"Long but we are here."

Carina walked up to Chuck. Chuck gave her a look not to say anything. Carina nodded slightly.

"Hi, I'm Carina Miller."

"Oh yeah Chuck, sorry this is my best friend and fellow agent Carina Miller."

Chuck extended his hand. "Chuck Bartowski or aka Charles Carmicheal."

"Nice to meet you."

General Beckman didn't know what was going on but she didn't have time to worry about it now. The team sat down as Chuck was introduced to Gustov and Marcel. Chuck stared at Gustov and was intrigued that he looked a lot like him but without the beard. Chuck then looked at Sarah. He had caught her several times staring at him. He figured the beard was the main reason but this was the first time in weeks that they had seen eachother.

General Beckman signed off as Marcel and Gustov walked out of the room. They were going to reconvene later that day. Carina knew she was the third wheel so she told Sarah that she would meet her at the elevator. Chuck sat back down and started typing away. He had to keep busy, or he would say or do something that wouldn't sit well with Sarah.

Sarah stood for a bit. She had to say something, break the already thinning ice. She knew that if Chuck started to talk something would be said that wouldn't sit well with any of them. She knew that much this time around that Chuck for the most part had a good work ethic.

"So how have you been?"

"Good."

"You been here long?"

"Nope. Flew in this evening."

Sarah knew that if she continued all she would get would be these short answers. Plus she couldn't blame him either. Sarah rubbed her arms as her chill was getting worse. Chuck looked over his labtop and noticed Sarah looking cold. Chuck got up and walked over to his bag and pull out Sarah's jacket. And walked over to her. Sarah saw him walking over and tried to not make a scene. Chuck placed the jacket around her shoulders and sat down. Sarah brought the jacket over and wondered where Chuck had found it and why would he bring it here – either way she was thankful.

"Thanks."

"No problem, its yours anyways."

**03:00 local time**

Chuck refreshed his scan. He had been scanning all the routes since he got there. Sarah had passed out and was sleeping on the couch and Carina decided to get some rest at the hotel. Chuck put his coffee down and walked over to where Sarah was sleeping. He grabbed his coat and laid it over Sarah. He crouched down and watched her sleep. He hoped that she was dreaming sweet dreams. He brushed the loose strands of hair away from her eyes. He leaned in but back away and stood up. Chuck shook his head and returned to his seat. Sarah opened her eyes to see that Chuck had been there. She watched him till her eyes closed shut again. This was the first time in weeks that she was able to sleep. Call it a coincidence Sarah just added it to her many unexplained events.

**04:00 **

Chuck rubbed his beard as he needed to get some sleep but it was only around 7 at home. Chuck grabbed his dad's file and opened it up to the Corvus file. Chuck reread what the file had in it. Chuck knew what Reid looked like but the chances of finding Lancer was slim. Chuck wondered if they knew that Quinn was dead. 'With one less man to make a profit Lancer would do what he needed to do to get his money and Reid wasn't going to let a Bartowski have the last word. If they were trafficking WMD within the relics then dad's key had to be amongst one of those relics? But how would his dad been able to leave it there when he has been dead for almost three years. Unless grandpa hid it! Maybe grandpa gave it to Dr. Eggleston and she was told to hide it but when she started to question what her job really was about and panicked and Reid saw her as a threat. Maybe she hid the key within one of the relics. Maybe Reid found out….'

"Chuck who are you talking to?"

Chuck looked up to see Sarah was standing beside him. Her closeness made him lose his focus.

"Sorry, but you were spiralling."

"Sorry."

"No don't be, by the way why would you have use the word spiralling?"

"That's what it looked like you were doing? Spiralling – you seem to do that when you're on a roll or you're nervous."

"Why did I use that word before?"

Chuck smiled slightly but didn't say a word.

Sarah smiled back.

Chuck passed the file onto Sarah and told her about meeting his grandfather. They talked till the sun came up. Sarah laughed. "No seriously I sat down in the chair and my knees where up to my face. Don't ask me where I got the height cause my grandfather could stand perfectly under my armpit."

Sarah laughed and almost fell of her chair when Carina came in with coffee.

"Did I miss something?"

Sarah trying to regain her composure. "No Chuck was just telling me that he just met his grand father for the first time and the height difference were very comical."

"Oh, alright – so you two are behaving."

Chuck looked at Sarah and back at Carina. Chuck gave her another look. And Carina whispered 'What'

Chuck didn't want to make a scene – he grabbed his coffee and returned to his seat.

"So did we get some sleep here?"

"A little but Chuck hasn't slept yet."

"I think that he is ok as long as he has his coffee."

"And how would you know that?"

Carina slowly turned around. "I can tell these things."

Carina sighed and nursed her coffee. Chuck spun in his chair and saw Sarah staring out of the window. Chuck got up and stood beside her.

"So why are you here?"

"Well it took you long enough."

"I didn't want jump down your throat."

"Well thanks. General Beckman wanted me here to flash on Lancer and Reid but I already know what he looks like. Hopefully we can get a hit. Also my computer skills are the top of the line."

"Oh are they now?"

"Sarah I didn't know that you would be here at first. I am just here to lend my services and nothing more."

Sarah felt a little disappointed that he wasn't there for her. But she did ask him not to come to her, but he was standing right there beside her so why couldn't it be about her.

Just then Chuck's labtop alerted him that Lancer facial had been spotted driving down Avenue des Champs-Elysees heading west towards the docks. Chuck tapped into the other feeds and had the car entering the docks. Chuck motioned to the Interpol agents that Lancer had been spotted. Gustov got on the phone and made arrangements to a tactical team to meet them at the docks.

Chuck grabbed his gear and surveillance equipment. Sarah grabbed her bag and followed Carina to the elevator.

Chuck stepped outside and put his coat on as the winds from the ocean were cutting through his skin. Sarah zipped up her jacket and stepped out. Chuck took his binoculars and tried to find the car. Chuck saw what looked like a wooded crate being lifted onto a delivery truck. The truck was heavily guarded by several men. Chuck flashed on a few. Sarah placed her hand on Chuck's back to comfort him as he came in and out of the flashes. It was instinctual that she would place her hand on him. Chuck stood up. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah yeah." Chuck bent down again and placed his hands on his knees. "Not use to these flashes, but there not as bad now as they were. I found the govenors that my dad made and they take the edge of most of them."

"Ok give me you phone and I'll call Beckman and fill her in."

Chuck stood up and gave Sarah his phone. Sarah dialed Beckman and waited for her to call back. Sarah was about to give Chuck his phone back when she noticed his background. It was of her sitting in the car on the way to Milan. Chuck noticed that Sarah was staring at his phone and it dawned on him that she saw the picture. Chuck went for his phone when Sarah back away, phone in hand.

"Sarah can I have my phone back."

"How did you get this picture Chuck?"

"Can I have my phone back please!"

Sarah went into his photos and saw four more pictures from Milan. The latest one from the other night at the fashion show and the most recently the train ride here.

Sarah looked at Chuck. The anger and shock was all over her face.

"Let me explain, please."

"Start talking, how did you get these pictures?"

Carina stepped out to see what was happening. When she wished she hadn't.

"Don't move Carina."

"Sarah please!"

"You two know each other don't you!"

Carina faced Sarah.

"This whole time was what? A coy to get me to remember?"

"No Sarah it's not like that, Chuck was just…."

"So this is all you?"

"It's not what you think well it kind of is – but not exactly."

"Chuck!"

"Yes, Carina sent me the photos after I asked her to and after she thought that I needed cheering up."

"Well isn't that swell. What else?"

Chuck dredge this moment. He had not planned on explaining this to Sarah. He actually didn't have a plan to say anything. He never thought that what he was digging into would lead him here either.

"After you left me on the beach I went back to our place and I won't bore you with the intimate details of the fact that I missed you. But I will tell you that when I found out where you were weeks later I might add. I didn't go after you. I kept my promise but I needed to know that you were alright somehow. So I ask Carina if she would go and pretend that she knew nothing and that you two had not seen each other in five years. I felt a little better knowing that Carina was there with you at least someone who cared about you was there for you. And the pictures like I said – I wanted to see that you were having fun and that you were at least having a good time."

Sarah turned to face Carina. "He's the friend then, the one who was fitting the bill."

Carina nodded.

"Great, and I thought that you were there as a friend."

"I was the whole time but Chuck is my friend too. And what he just told you is the truth. You left him, he promised not to follow you so what's the problem."

"The problem? Everything that I shared to you, what I remember he knows."

Carina didn't respond.

Sarah walked up to Chuck and pushed his phone hard into his chest.

"I hope that you got what you wanted. Because I'm done."

Sarah walked off Chuck was about to follow. Carina put her hand out. "Let me. It's easier for her to be mad at me than you."

Chuck sat down on a crate shaking his head. 'It didn't have to end up like this.'

Carina caught up to Sarah as Sarah wiped her eyes. "So you going to tell Chuck this one too?"

"No. This one is yours."

"Why?"

"Sorry sweetie. Chuck thought that at the time."

"I hurt him."

"I think that he'll get over it."

"You didn't tell him about the dream."

"The dream, you didn't say anything about a dream." Carina looked at Sarah.

"Oh the one in the car thing? Was it about Chuck?"

"Don't know – I couldn't see his face."

"Well they do say that dreams are a way to tell us that things could happen."

"Well not after what I just did."

Carina turned Sarah to face Chuck.

"Yes we did you wrong by not telling you the truth. But what man on this earth would go to that many lengths to make sure that a girl like you was taken care of."

Sarah was just about to answer when Chuck motioned for them to come back. Sarah and Carina ran back as Chuck put his phone in his pocket. "The shipment is expected to make its' way to state side by tomorrow. Beckman has her people waiting at the airport. We need to find Dr. Eggleston before that shipment leaves Paris."

"So what's the plan?"

"We need to get into that warehouse and look into that truck. Gustov and Marcel you two check out the back end of the warehouse; Carina and Sarah you two the front. I'll take the truck."

Chuck gave Sarah her black bag and Chuck ran off towards the truck. Sarah quickly opened up the bag to find her weapons inside. Carina motioned for her to hurry up.

Chuck snuck up behind a few crates to the left of the truck. Chuck scanned the deck to find three guards other than that it was very quiet. Chuck saw Sarah and Carina heading to the front of the warehouse. Once inside Chuck crept towards the truck and stepped onto the guardrail and flipped up the canvass cover. Chuck looked for any sign of what the cargo had inside. Chuck noticed the label and flashed on images of Corvus; pictures of a team working on a prototype. Chuck snapped out of his flash and jumped off as he heard some people coming. Chuck hid behind a few boxes as Sarah's voice came through his ear piece. 'Chuck they have a woman with them and are leaving the warehouse.' Where are you?"

'Can't talk.'

'What do you mean you can't talk?"

'Just what I said.' This time even quieter.'

Chuck tried to stay silent as the guards walked by him. When Sarah didn't get a response she grabbed her binoculars and tried to find Chuck. When she saw that Chuck was behind a box and the guards were right on his tail, she headed back.

"SLOW DOWN SARAH."

"I got to go."

"And do what? Get us both killed."

"But Chuck!"

"I know but there is nothing we can do till the guards leave or…."

Just then Sarah watched as the two guards leaving the truck. Chuck ducked out and headed back to the truck as more men appeared this time with a woman that Chuck believed was Dr. Eggleston. Without flashing her name was brought up by one of the men.

The doctor was lifted into the truck. The flaps brought down. Chuck saw that the truck was leaving. As Sarah, Carina and the two Interpol agents arrived they saw the truck drive off. Sarah looked around for Chuck but couldn't see him till Carina pointed to two long legs wearing black converses were flapping their way onto the side of the truck. They jumped into the suburban and followed the truck to a remote area where they truck pulled into an old textile mill. They pulled over and watched the doctor file into the mill.

Chuck fell to the ground as the road wasn't the best. He quickly got up and hid behind an old tree.

'Sarah, can you read me'

'Yeah you ok?"

'Y-e-a-h I think so."

"You think so?"

'Yeah I'm fine where are you?"

"We are sitting on the edge of the mill. We will come to you."

Chuck waited and watched. If he stood up he could see into the mill. The doctor was tied to a chair and as far as Chuck could see where the men that he came with. Chuck heard someone in the trees and aimed his tranq gun. Chuck had his finger ready to pull the trigger when he saw who it was.

"You were going to shoot me?"

"NO!"

"Good. So what do we have?"

"Three men that came with the truck and the doctor"

Carina walked to the truck and opened up the crate. Tossing the shredded paper away from the cargo inside. Chuck and Sarah joined her to find a replica of Zeus. Chuck watch up and placed his hand on the statue. When Chuck rubbed his fingers across the piece, he looked at his fingers. There was plaster residue. That meant that this was not what it looked like. After Interpol took some pictures for evidence. Chuck grabbed a big stone and smashed it again the lower half the statue. Two semi- automatic weapons fell out. Chuck smash again and a Russian war head appeared. Chuck looked at Sarah. They had hit the jack pot. But the celebration had to end there. Chuck needed to the get the doctor out. Sarah and Chuck crawled up the side ladder and crawled inside. They crouched down as they were able to see the whole room. Chuck counted three guys plus the doctor. Neither of them were Lancer or Reid, which disappointed Chuck. The taller man's cell rang. They were speaking in French but Chuck was able to decipher some of it. Sarah looked at Chuck.

"What did he say?"

"One: kill the doctor and two: get rid of the truck."

"So now what?"

"Save the doctor?"

"And how?"

Chuck looked around and tried to find a way down without getting caught. Chuck flashed on a few moves and told Sarah to climb down the rungs behind them and he'll meet her to the side of the wall. Chuck jumped and swung and flipped his way to the otherside. Sarah climbed down and waited for Chuck to meet her. Chuck slid alongside the far wall as he could still see the guys sitting at the table; each drawing straws to see who would be the one to off the doctor. Chuck continued to move forward when his foot tripped and he fumbled against the wall crashing to the ground.

The three men stopped what they were doing.

"Go check it out!"

The two men walked towards where the noise was coming from. Chuck stayed low and waited for the men to come into his sights. When he saw the two men he tranq them and caught one of them before they hit and made a louder sound. Chuck got up again to see Sarah heading towards the Doctor. Chuck kept his eye on the third man – but he must have been ready because as soon as he saw Sarah coming he started to fire. Sarah pulled back as Carina and Gustov came in from the front. The third man fired on them as well. Carina ducked and rolled towards Sarah. They both nodded and on three they both got up and fire on the lone male knocking him to the ground. He didn't know what hit him.


	8. Chapter 8

**The road has come to an end. But Chuck and Sarah will continue to live on. As was stated before I had to divide this story into two – otherwise you would be reading a 30, 000 plus word chapter. I have not written so much in my life as I did for this last chapter. Kudos to MRW who on her vacation took the time to read these last few chapters. Again thanks to all who read and will read this amazing journey.**

**I don't owe Chuck but he is very cute!**

**Enjoy! **

**Chapter 8 – Happily ever after**

The Team came out as Chuck ran to the doctor. Chuck could see that she had been hit. He ripped the bottom of his shirt and tied it around her arm.

"Thanks, his gun got me."

"Well it just looks like a flesh wound but we will get you to hospital. Your Dr. Eggleston I assume."

"Yes and you are?"

"Just say that someone we both know very well brought us together."

Sarah was wondering why Chuck didn't tell the doctor who he was. Interpol arrived and transferred the doctor to the hospital. She promised to talk to them in a few days. Chuck headed out the door when one of the men's phone rang. Chuck picked it up and said "Bonjour?"

"Good there is someone still there. Lancer wants the items in the truck sent off. It's getting too hot we need to move."

"oui'" Chuck trying to speak French.

"You know Lancer's warehouse."

"Bien" (ok)

"The same place as before the warehouse. 184 Leville"

'fera' (will do)

Chuck closed the phone. Sarah put her hand on his arm.

"We got him."

Chuck backed off and tried not to make a scene. He just smiled. "I guess we did."

Sarah chalked it up to being on the mission and not at all because she balled him out earlier, or was it.

Chuck walked back into the hotel room as he couldn't speak to the Doctor till later that next day. Sarah crashed on the couch and Carina grabbed the chair. Chuck had been up 36 hours or more and was feeling the effects. Sarah convinced him to go get some sleep. They had made arrangements for two beds.

"So who's your bed buddy tonight?"

Sarah scowled at Carina. "It would only be you to bring that up."

"Well someone has to. And I am not sharing my bed so that leaves either the warm bed with that man over there or this couch, that, I bet has seen better days."

Sarah grabbed a blanket and a pillow and made her bed. Carina smiled and walked to the other bed on the other side of the room. A few hours later Sarah woke up to find the lights still on. Sarah sat up and stared at that man, who must have been really tired. Sarah got up and walked over and covered him up. Chuck was so tired that he didn't take his shoes off. Sarah untied his shoes and took them off and placed his leg under the blankets. Sarah sat down beside him and reached for his beard. She caressed it and lightly caressed his forehead. Sarah couldn't explain the feeling she now was feeling, she touched his face once more and stood up and covered him up and shut the light off. Sarah crawled back to the couch and turned her light off.

**Interpol Office**

Chuck walked in after a decent sleep, one that he had been craving for some time. Doctor Eggleston was sitting at the conference table when Beckman appeared on the screen.

"Greetings team, Hello Dr. Eggleston."

"General."

"How are we?"

"Good just a flesh wound. I was taken really good care of."

"Good, so where are we now?"

Chuck took the reigns. "General we found a crate that housed a few WDM's and small weaponry. We have made contact and we have an address where Lancer is supposed to expect the shipment. Our time later today, but if we don't have the shipment with us he'll know that something is up and if by now he's wondering why he hasn't heard if the Doctor is dead – then we have another problem."

"So Lancer thinks that he is getting the shipment?"

"Maybe, one of the dead guys cells rang so I picked up said the voice on the other end said that Lancer wanted the truck to go there instead, he didn't say anything about the Doctor."

"So maybe Lancer isn't waiting, maybe it's Reid who is calling the shots. If Reid wants the WMD's then why wasn't he there last night or even for that matter at the warehouse when you got there. Maybe he had the place under surveillance and when he saw you guys he split."

"Fine General but he needs Lancer. Lancer is the only one who can get this stuff back to the US."

The Doctor was listening and asked to speak.

"Lancer is the designer and a very good one, and your right Reid needs Lancer. But if Lancer wants his money he is not going to go too far. Reid is not only dealing with weapons, he has been looking for a key that he assumed that I had."

This got Chuck's attention. "A key?"

"Well I think that it is a key? Why?"

"Where did you see this key?"

"The first time was several years ago, when an older gentleman approached me in Egypt. He was a retired CIA agent and the father of a Stephen Bartowski. I went to school with a Mary and he told me that she was his daughter in law. He told me that Stephen needed a favour. He needed a key to be kept in a safe place till he was able to retrieve it. But he didn't come back so I kept it hidden. When Reid found out that this key still existed? I don't know how he did? He started hanging around the Antiquities museum alot. Maybe waiting for Stephen, I don't know. But after awhile he teamed up with Lancer."

"So where is the key hidden?"

The Doctor didn't want to say where it was. And why would she, she didn't know these guys."

Sarah nudged Chuck to say something.

Chuck walked over to her and had her sit down. The Doctor sat down.

"I need to know where this key is, it is very important that I do. A lot of people's lives are at stake here." Chuck looks at Sarah.

"Why should I?"

"Because Stephen would have wanted you to, and my grandfather was the man who approached you and my mom well you already know her."

"You're his son."

Chuck nodded. "Yeah"

"So where is he?"

Chuck closed his eyes briefly. "He died over three years ago."

"I'm so sorry."

"Thanks but it is very important that I find this key. Reid can't get his hands on it."

"It's not here, I don't have it?"

Chuck got up and walked away from the table. Sarah sat down and looked at the Doctor.

"But you know where it is?"

"I do unless someone has found it, but they really need to know where to look."

"So where is it?"

"Downtown at the Egyptian exhibit. It is encased within the shield of Anubis."

"Doctor"

"Yes General."

"Did Reid ever mention to you the name Corvus?"

The Doctor thought for a moment. "No but I did see a document that had the name on it. After I noticed the discrepancies in some of the artifacts – a paper crossed my desk that had the name on it as a project of the US Government. When I inquired, peoples head turned and the next thing I knew, the exhibit was quietly removed and my team and I were captured. Where is my team?"

"They are still in Milan." Sarah stepped back into the conversation. "We felt that it was safer for them to stay low there till this situation was taken care of."

"So this key, you said that it's hard to find?"

"Yes I had to attach it with in the shield but the shield can't be removed. I encased the key up and under the rim of the shield. Once you release the rim or pull back you can grab the key."

"Then we will go and get it?"

"Mr. Bartowski?" Chuck stopped and turned around.

"The exhibit isn't open to the public yet and it is heavily guarded, I can't go cause they still believe that I am missing. "

"Right and if you show up then they will know that something is up."

"So is there another way other than walking in the front door?"

Sarah looked at Chuck.

"I guess we are diving in?" Chuck smiled back. "I guess we are?"

**12:00 am**

Chuck and Sarah sat across the street in an electrical van watching the museum. They had taken notes the last few hours and knew when the security guards were in and out of the main exhibit. They had a 5 min window to enter and once inside they could determine how much time they had once they approached the statue.

**Undisclosed street corner Paris**

"Hello?"

"The key has been located."

"Good, so now what?"

"I will let the American Agents do the hard stuff and then I will get the key from them in transport."

"Good thank you."

"Are you sure that this is it? You have been disappointed before?"

"Son, I believe that our search is over. I was done wrong years ago and because of that I have been on the run. We need the key to resurrect Corvus to what it was to be and not what Bartowski wanted."

"But…"

"Son you do your job and keep your ears open and let me know what transpires. You're a good agent and no one is going to figure out that you're the one leaking the information. Lancer will help with this last shipment to the US and with this key we can upload the information into the prototype."

"Do we have to go back to the US?"

"Yes I have set up an underground bunker near Fountain Valley. Rourke had set up one near Black Rock but Casey and his team of idiots blew it up. So I had my men shoot Rourke under Casey's watch. But then Stephen's son uploaded what was supposed to be mine. And that data had been lost till Quinn found another cipher. This whole situation could have ended up so different if Bartowski didn't have a conscience. But it has taken over 20 years to get to this point again and I am not failing now."

"Ok dad, I will call you later."

Chuck and Sarah climbed to the top of the museum and climbed to the window that towered over the statue of Anubis. Chuck grabbed the rope and secured it to a water pipe. Chuck then tossed Sarah her harness. Chuck watched as Sarah stripped to her tank top and short shorts. Her long legs slithered into the harness with ease. Sarah noticed Chuck staring so Chuck returned to his job. Chuck unbuttoned his shirt and Sarah could help notice his physic. For Sarah not remembering how Chuck looked, she sure was remembering this moment. Chuck walked over and tightened Sarah's harness. His warm breathe tickled her neck as he finished tightening her ropes and harness. Sarah was having a hard time to breathe and it wasn't because of the ropes.

Chuck finished soderring the window open and carefully cut the security wires that encased the inside of the window frame. Chuck opened the window and lowered Sarah down into the hole of the museum. Chuck waited till he was sure that the ropes would hold and he then lowered himself and followed Sarah to the floor. Chuck watched as they needed to fall in a particular spot that didn't seem like it would fit the two of them. Sarah landed first and grabbed Chuck's long legs in stop him from hitting any of the lasers. Chuck slid down the length of Sarah and released his hold on the rope and braced himself again Sarah. Chuck swallowed fast as the air was quickly taken up. Chuck turned around and carefully reached through the lasers towards the security box. He tried not to shake as he punched in the code to temporarily disarm the lasers. He had only 10 minutes to do what he had to do and get out of there before the backup kicked in.

Chuck pressed enter and the lasers disappeared. Chuck felt Sarah's hands leave his waist as she turned towards the main exhibit. Sarah walked towards the statue of Anubis and directed her eyes towards the shield. Chuck stepped up behind her and followed her hands as she moved them over the shield. Sarah found the fold in the shield and Chuck walked up and crouched down in front of her. Chuck bent the shield rim out as Sarah placed her fingers into the groove and tried to feel for the key. Sarah's fingers moved towards the edge where Chuck's hands were holding the rim as she brushed his hand she felt the key. Chuck bend the rim further back as Sarah used her tips of her fingers to grab the key and lodge it out of its resting place. Chuck got up as he faced Sarah directly.

Sarah looked up at Chuck and said. "I guess this belongs to you?"

Chuck grabbed the key as he noticed the clock running out. Chuck ran back and hoisted Sarah up. As Chuck was about the clip the rope to his harness the harness sprung up sending him straight to the ceiling. Chuck hit the ceiling hard and fumbled the key. Sarah shot up and grabbed the key as she looked at Chuck who obviously was in pain. Sarah crawled up and out of the opening and pulled Chuck out. Chuck sat and felt something warm. Chuck took his harness off and Sarah noticed it to. Sarah ran over and lifted his shirt. Chuck must have hit something on the way up creating a gash about 3 inches long along his lower back. Chuck put his shirt down.

"We don't have time. I'll take care of it later."

Chuck grabbed the rope and gear and shimmied down the ladder to the van.

**Hotel Room**

Sarah walked into the bathroom and grabbed a towel and the first aid kit. Sarah made Chuck lay on his stomach on the bed. Sarah opened the first aid kit, and grabbed a needle. The gash was deep enough that stitches were required. They couldn't afford to go to a hospital and explain how he got injured. Sarah numbed the area the best she could and gave Chuck some whiskey for the pain.

"I'm fine, and I don't like needles."

Sarah stopped and for some reason she believed him. So Sarah had to do the next thing; either get him drunk or knock him out. She opted on getting him drunk. The local wouldn't work if he was sober. After half of the bottle had been drank. Sarah straddled Chuck and gave him a local. Chuck passed out. Sarah continued to stitch up his back. Sarah took her time as she wanted to do a good job but at the same time – she embraced this opportunity to touch him. As she finished and wiped down his back, she didn't know how one man could have such a hold on her. Not even Bryce or her marks affected her like Chuck did. Sarah remembered the stories on how they met and the very first day she set eyes on him to their first kiss after she told him that she loved him. Why couldn't she remember? Why would Chuck risk his life to get them back for her? She knew that not all their story was a fairy tale and there were times that she treated him pretty bad. But as she dried his back off she leaned in and placed her lips on his cheek.

"I am so sorry, that you have to go to these lengths, just for me but I do thankyou for it."

As she unhinged her legs from straddling Chuck Carina entered the room.

"Well Walker you sure know how to play the field."

"Ha it's not what you think or what to think. Chuck hurt his back when we exited the museum tonight and he doesn't like needles so I had him drink the bottle till he was out then I gave him a local and stitched him up."

"Such a nightingale?"

"So what did Beckman say, can we go home now?"

"The key needs to be guarded till we leave tomorrow. Then we will fly home and put this mission behind us."

Sarah grabbed her bag and pulled out the key. To her it didn't look like a key but she knew that Chuck's dad wouldn't make anything that had to do with the intersect look like it is supposed to.

**Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle**

Chuck held the key close to him as they waited to board their plane. They had time so they chose to take a commercial flight home. Chuck watched the people and families as they busied themselves for arrivals and departures. Chuck adjusted in his seat as his back was still sore.

"Hey thanks for stitching me up. Besides the slight hang over I am glad you didn't give me a shot. I don't do needles."

Carina and Sarah laughed then went stoic. Chuck noticed Marcel pacing the concourse of the airport. Chuck hadn't flashed on anything bad on him but the more he watched him the more Chuck began to get suspicious of him. Chuck leaned in.

"Hey Sarah, what do you know about Marcel?"

"Why?"

"Something doesn't sit right."

"How come?"

"He hasn't stopped looking at his watch for the last half hour and is sweating profusely. "

"Maybe he's hot?"

"There's hot and then there is hot."

Sarah looked over towards Marcel. His body language was telling the same story as what Chuck was guessing. Sarah got up and sat down beside Carina and filled her in then returned to where Chuck was sitting.

"Just stay alert, we don't have much longer to wait and Beckman has waived the case so we don't need to declare it." Chuck sighed. "Relax we will be home soon and this mission will be over."

Chuck looked up as Sarah left. Chuck sat back looking amongst the people. Chuck watched a little girl play with her doll. She looked up and Chuck smiled back. When the little girl smiled right back he wondered if things were different and Sarah hadn't been taken by Quinn – Would their little girl be on her way?

Marcel looked at his watch. He had to make his move. He saw that Chuck was engulfed with the little girl and Sarah and Carina were busy talking. Marcel waited for the voice over the intercom to finish when he grabbed the little girl that Chuck was talking to. Sarah and Carina grabbed their guns and Chuck reached for the girl. When Marcel held a gun to her head Chuck backed off. Airport Security held back the crowd. Chuck still had the case attached to his wrist. Chuck saw that Marcel was eyeing the case. Chuck also kept an eye on the girl. Chuck looked at the girl "Hey look at me! You will be okay just keeping looking at me."

The girl's mom wasn't helping so Carina asked the security to hold her back.

"Marcel we can settle this without hurting anyone in the process. Just let the little girl go."

"Can't! Not now."

"Ok what can we do to change your mind?"

Marcel eyed the case again. Chuck closed his eyes. He couldn't give Marcel the case not after all of this.

"You want the case."

"YES!"

"Why is this case so important?"

Chuck saw Sarah motioning to keep him talking. Chuck nodded slightly.

"Because it's not your!"

"It's not? Then who does it belong to?"

Marcel knew that he couldn't tell Chuck what he knew.

"You don't need to know, I just need the case and I will give you the girl."

Chuck could see that the little girl was scared. "Hey you don't want to scare or hurt anyone? Right? So how about you put down the gun and we can come to some kind of understanding."

"No!" Marcel grabbed the girl and ran out the airport terminal. Chuck ran after them with Carina and Sarah in hot pursuit. Marcel stood in the middle of the road as taxis and pedestrians came to a halt.

Chuck stopped a few feet away. He knew he had to give up the case for the girl or cause hysteria amongst the crowd.

"I will give you the girl for the case and we can end it here."

Chuck grabbed his key and unlocked the cuffs that held the case to his wrist. Chuck saw Carina walk up to him and very so slightly slid a tracer in Chuck's hand. Chuck opened the case.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Just placing the chain into the case." As he shoved the chain inside Chuck slid the tracer inside the foam casing.

Chuck stood up and reached out for the girl.

"The girl for the case right?"

"Yes."

Marcel put his gun down as he released the girl. Chuck slid the case towards Marcel as the little girls ran into his arms. Marcel turned around and jumped into the nearest car and sped off. Carina followed but couldn't get a shot.

"Darn people!"

The girl's mother grabbed her girl form Chuck and whispered thank you.

Chuck walked back disappointed that he had to give up the case. Even the congratulations from the crowd couldn't change his mind.

**Castle – The Next Day**

Chuck had got Carina to activate the tracer. It started up and bounced from tower to tower for several minutes. Carina didn't know how far the tracer's radius was, and if the case was even on the move. As it bounced from tower to tower it was obvious that it had been on the move since yesterday. As the signal slowed down Chuck was able to activate its coordinates.

The computer spilled out the following: 33.7092° N, 117.9528° W

Chuck then typed in the coordinates and situated its location to a place called Fountain Valley California. Chuck flashed on the name Fountain Valley and the name Kingston Technologies, flash cards, 2010, Kingston generated revenues of US $6.5 billion. Forbes lists Kingston as #77 on its list of "The 500 Largest Private Companies in the U.S." and Inc. ranks Kingston as the #6 Private Company By Revenue, #1 in the Computer Hardware category. Advanced Validation Labs Inc. (AVL), Kingston Technology Corporation is one of the world's leading memory module manufacturing, module validation, and semiconductor packaging and test companies in the world.

Chuck grabbed his head.

"C-h-uck!"

Sarah walked over as Chuck tried to get a control of the last flash.

"Sarah I don't know what's going on." The governor is supposed to ease the flashes not make them worse?"

"What can I do?"

"Some aspirin for now I guess." Sarah walked over to the first aid kit and grabbed the bottle.

"Here's some water?"

"Thanks." Chuck took the aspirin.

Chuck looked back to the screen. "You better get Beckman."

Sarah pressed Beckman's call button as she appeared.

"Yes Team."

"We have located the case, General."

"What's wrong with Chuck?"

"His last flash didn't sit well…"

"General, enough about my head! The tracer that Carina gave me gave us, we it locked the target on the city of Fountain Valley. And when I saw the name I flashed on a tech company call Kingston Technologies. They specialize in creating memory modules and other areas of computers. They also were also on Forbes top 500 and raked in $6.5 Billion dollars in 2010. I believe that the key is there somewhere and they are going to use it to further their business but not the way that the key was intended to be used."

"Ok that can explain Reid's involvement, but what about Agent Devereux, and Lancer?"

Carina entered on the conversation.

"My sources tell me that Marcel had been under suspicion for some time and no one would work with him till Marcel asked Gustov to bring him in for this case. My sources also tell me that when Reid worked for the CIA he had an affair with a foreign agent while working on the Corvus project. I guess his extracurricular activities created a child."

"Reid has a son?"

"That is what I was told."

"So why wasn't this mentioned in his files?"

"Maybe your dad didn't see this as a threat if he knew about it."

"He was right!"

"Who was?"

"My dad general! In his file he wrote that he couldn't prepare for everything that could happen. This is just one of those things that we had no control about till now."

"So what is your plan?"

"Don't know yet but I can't wait too long. We will get back to you when we do." Chuck walked out of the room. Carina said goodbye and followed. Sarah was about to press end when Beckman spoke up again.

"Sarah I just wanted to tell you that Chuck kept his word. He didn't find out where you were for a long time. I give him credit for not acting on his need to be there for you. But the beard thing, I am getting used to it."

"Yeah the beard things, and thanks. So when did he start with the facial hair?"

"That next day. We will talk in a bit."

"Yes General." As Sarah pressed end.

**Near Fountain Valley California **

For a week after the Paris mission, Sarah watched as Chuck managed to avail every mishap every disaster with ease, every movement everything that Chuck touched or did sent a surge of familiarity through her mind. 'This is what it feels like to care for someone. Did I feel this before?' Chuck was not a man that she would have looked at and he definitely was a far cry from Bryce but facts and pictures proved that she had fallen for him once maybe even twice and maybe this time for good. Sarah knew that Chuck believed her that he would wait for her to come to him but each passing moment of being together on this mission could easily go the other way. She reminded herself not to force any memories even if it was warranted to be true. If by chance this second chance was granted she'll accept the challenge. Carina moved in behind them as they surveyed the entrance to the old Sanitation warehouse. They saw that a truck had entered but where it went was anyone guess. Chuck slapped a switch to the main cables to run a feed into their surveillance and quickly set up transmission. Whether it was the intersect itself or the fact that he was with his wife his fingers were moving pretty fast.

"I'm in." He said as he placed the computer down.

All three watched the feed together to get an idea of what they were getting themselves into. Chuck turned up the volume as he overheard that the key been found and was going to be delivered by courier tomorrow and that Reid was waiting for the call. Lancer seemed confident that they would get their money and they were glad that Quinn wouldn't get his cut now. Reid just feared the old man and that knew too much and he needed to be silenced. When Chuck heard that he quickly thought of his grandfather. Carina nudged Sarah to move on and regroup tomorrow. Sarah reached for Chucks shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Chuck turned around and Sarah nodded to move out. He closed his computer and crawled back out of sight of the building.

Carina stood up. "You two get some sleep. We passed a motel a few miles back there's not much we can do tonight. I'll stay back and call you when we have a hit. No, point in all of us hanging out here. Plus you two have not slept in a while."

Sarah looked up.

"Sounds good, and a hot shower."

Chuck placed his computer back into his back pack and zipped it up as he was the lone male, he didn't want to disapprove. They drove back the few miles till they reached the motel. They got a room but Chuck felt guilty in being there. The place was so much like Black Rock and Sarah was told what happened that night. Chuck had to put his feelings aside. He unlocked the door to their room and tossed the keys on the table and the bag of food they managed to get at the local dinner. They ate in silence as both felt like teenagers fighting what both wanted to happen or they hope they both wanted.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because?"

"Why are you here risking your life for me?"

"You deserve to have your old life back. After all that you have done, you deserve that normal life. To get your memories back."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. It's my job to protect you."

"But what about us when the mission is done, then what?"

"One mission at a time Sarah."

Sarah got up and grabbed her bag but paused. Sarah turned around as Chuck was finishing his last bite and crumbling up his wrapper into the bag. Their eyes met, Chuck knew that look, he had seen it thousandths of times before. But whether Sarah recalled something or this was a new. It was obvious that this was big step. As Chuck was about to stand up, Sarah moved in. Sarah leaned in Chuck but stopped her - "I have to be a real mad or insane to stop what is going to happen or hopefully going to happen but I can't let you."

"Chuck, it's ok."

"No its not, I need to know that it's my Sarah and not this Sarah. Either way I am torn. You know how I feel and I can't let you play with that. I promised to wait for you. But you don't need to… if this is my Sarah, my wife then this moment will happen again and I'll be there, but if it just because you feel that it is what supposed to happen then no."

Chuck grabbed his coat. The skies opened up.

"Where are you going?"

Chuck never answered and closed the door. Sarah crawled into the shower and let the water drowned her tears that had appeared. 'Why would I attempt to kiss him?'

After the water ran cold, Sarah walked out of the shower and changed into a t shirt and short shorts. She walked out of the bathroom each step like déjà vu. Sarah crawled into the side closer to the wall and leaned again the head board. Each movement well- rehearsed or a once played scene. After a few minutes she succumbed to sleep. Hours later Sarah was awaken by a crash of thunder. She looked around and cried out 'Chuck!' There was no answer. Sarah got up and opened the door. She scanned the deserted parking lot of the motel setting her eyes upon the car. Sarah walked up to the door to see Chuck sleeping with his head leaning against the window. At that moment she ached for his touch. Something about being here felt normal to her. Sarah lightly tapped at the window not to startle Chuck too much. Chuck slowly sat up and opened the door. The rain continued to fall as Sarah stood in front of the only man who really knew her or ever would know her. Or for that matter ever treat her the way that she deserved to be treated.

Chuck stepped out of the car as the rain mixed with the tears that were falling from Sarah's eyes. Chuck closed the door of the car and stood in front of Sarah. The rain continued to fall soaking them both – but the rain wasn't the problem – the problem stood between Chuck and Sarah. Sarah knew that she had made a huge breakthrough but first she had to prove to Chuck and most importantly prove it to herself. Chuck saw the ache in Sarah's eyes, but he also knew that something was different, something of old but he couldn't put his finger on it. Sarah stared down to the pavement very much avoiding looking into Chuck's eyes. Chuck reached down and extended his arms to hers. Sarah carefully placed herself in his strong arms. Sarah laid her head on Chuck's shoulder, Chuck held onto her for dear life.

The rain continued to fall as Chuck let go of his hold on Sarah and grabbed her hand as they walked back to the room. Chuck walked to the bathroom shelf and grabbed a few towels and placed one around Sarah's shoulders. Chuck walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower then returned, drying his hair with the towel.

"The shower is ready for you to warm up."

Sarah paused, hoping that Chuck would take this as an invitation to join her. Chuck missed her sign as he grabbed the TV remote. Sarah sighed deeply and walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Chuck looked up as the door closed and sat down. 10 minutes later Sarah walked out a little bit warmer than before.

"I saved you some hot water."

Chuck turned off the TV. "Thanks." Stepping into the bathroom. Sarah dried off and wrapped the towel around her while grabbing one of the blankets and placed it around her body. Sarah walked over to the window and watched the skies fill with lightning bolts and flashes of lights. The rain continued drawing Sarah deeper and deeper into its rhythm. Sarah was so enthralled with the storm that she was unaware of the events about to unfold. Chuck turned the shower off and grabbed a towel but he had only grabbed one. He wrapped it around his waist as good as he could. The towel he hoped would hang there till he was able to grab some clothes. Chuck opened the door and stepped into the room to witness the most beautiful angel standing by the window. Chuck went for his bag, and with all the noise Sarah didn't budge. Chuck watched as the blanket that was wrapped around Sarah's shoulder had fallen, exposing her perfect shoulders. Admiring her beauty was one thing that Chuck thanked the man upstairs for every day. And when that day came that Sarah was his, he swore that he would never let her go. The last few months were not a fan favourite, nor something he wanted to experience again. He had a chance to make things right, even if not all the cards he was dealt were the right ones.

'Aces Charles' those infamous words of his father's rang through his head.

Sarah leaned back and closed her eyes as she embraced the calmness from the falling rain. Sarah was about to open her eyes when two strong hands lightly feathering her bare shoulders. The softness of the blanket brushed against her legs and lower body. Two strong hands moved downward caressing her lower back. Sarah arched her body back and placed her head back onto the Chuck's chest. Sarah lost her inhibitions as a subtle warm breath covered her naked shoulders. Sarah reached back and looped her arms around Chuck's head and brought his lips again closer to her skin. Chuck continued to circle Sarah's shoulders where he ended up resting them around her waist as he continued to trace the contours of her body with his lips.

Sarah turned around and reached for his strong hands bringing them to her lips. Sarah returned them around her waist and looked up to see her knight in shining armor. Looking up she smiled and the smile was returned. Sarah slowly wet her lips anticipating what she knew would be coming next. The closeness by now could be felt in more ways than one. Sarah tilted her head ever so slightly as Chuck lightly brushed his lips with hers. Chuck didn't want to rush this. He knew that this was a major step in their relationship and Sarah not having all her memories back, he was playing with fire. This time he didn't care if he got burnt.

Sarah opened her mouth slightly hoping that there was more. Chuck didn't disappoint. Chuck welcomed her lips and their reunion heated up an already heated atmosphere. Chuck reached down and picked Sarah up not breaking their kiss. Chuck turned around and gently with all his love for Sarah placed her on the bed. Chuck carefully bridged himself over Sarah as he continued to kiss her. Sarah caressed his face and his chest. Chuck remained in control till Sarah brought him closer. Sarah could feel the effects that she was having on him; very familiar, yet at the same time, very new.

Chuck traced her shoulders with his lips. His warm breath tickled as he covered every inch of her body. Sarah ran her fingers up and down his back, sending shivers to certain parts of his anatomy. Sarah reached under Chuck and opened his towel. Chuck felt the towel being removed so he invited himself to remove her blanket. Chuck grabbed the blanket and tossed it along with the towel. Sarah wrapped her legs around Chuck as they became one. A tug o war of arms and legs and lips created as dance of love making that no intersect, mission, or time apart could ever come between them again. Chuck rolled over as Sarah straddled him. Chuck stared into Sarah's eyes as a single tear fell to his chest. Chuck leaned forward and held Sarah in place. As the wind blew outside Chuck made love to his wife. Sarah held on as Chuck was doing things to her that made her happy that she had forgotten most of them because it created a whole new set of sensations that only Chuck could do and on top of it he had to be topping off his own set of skills.

After several hours, Chuck reached for the blanket that he had removed from Sarah's body and covered them up. Sarah returned herself to her spot right next to him. Sarah placed her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Chuck caressed her shoulder and Sarah drew circles around his chest hairs. Sarah looked up and caressed his face. She stared admiring his grizzly Adams look – well it wasn't that Grizzly but she hadn't seen him with a beard before and even when he came to see her at the restaurant after Prague. Chuck had been clean shaven.

Chuck could tell that Sarah wanted to say something. So he spoke first.

"Yeah the Morgan look."

"I wouldn't call your look a Morgan look."

"What would you call it?"

"A very sexy look."

Chuck smiled and leaned forward and kissed Sarah. Sarah moved upwards as the kiss quickly heated up. Chuck rolled Sarah over diving into her neck with several kisses, affecting her responses. If moans and louder moans were any indication Chuck's efforts had her approval.

Chuck looked at Sarah and caressed her cheek. He knew that parts of old Sarah was still in there. Sarah ran her index finger across his cheek and over his lips. But as she returned her finger Sarah forced back the thoughts of reality ruining this moment. She had fallen for Chuck not once but twice and this third time she wasn't going to anything stop it from happening. Sarah laid back and had Chuck cuddle up to her. Sarah grabbed the blanket and kissed his forehead.

"Good night Chuck."

Chuck looked up. 'Was it too soon to say I love you' – it had been a staple in their relationship to always say I love you while making love and after – Chuck thought to himself.

Chuck smiled and settled alongside Sarah. Sarah reached around and held him close to her.

"Good night Sarah….I…."

"I know…me too." As she closed her eyes.

**Early the next morning**

Sarah rolled over to look at the most amazing man that she had ever known. Chuck laid there sleeping holding her in his arms. Along awaited moment finally arrived, and Sarah looking at this man that she loved both then and now. Sarah slowly released Chuck's warm embrace and lifted the covers. She didn't want to wake him up at this point. She wanted a little fun of her own first. Chuck could feel his body changing – something warm and very inviting – '_If this was a dream he didn't want to wake up and if this wasn't a dream – he'd better wake up so he could enjoy it more.'_

This feeling was getting more intense as Chucks brown eyes started to focus on a beautiful woman straddling his waist. Sarah was moving in ways that Chuck never thought were possible. Sarah looked down at Chuck and smiled mischievously.

"You know um Sarah. I c-o-u-l-d help you."

"Sorry Chuck don't need your help."

Chuck feeling wounded sat up to give Sarah a kiss – he was able to meet her lips but was robbed when Sarah pushed Chuck back down onto the bed.

Chuck laid back enjoying watching his Sarah. Memories or not the woman he had loved for a very long time was with him now in the most intense and intimate moment of his life. Their lips melted together and arms entangled as Chuck rolled Sarah over, still together Chuck continued to make love to Sarah as the morning sun heated up an already hot room.

When they exhausted each other's strength Chuck rolled Sarah over and Sarah settled herself in his arms. They lay embraced in each other's arms.

Chuck caressed Sarah's back as she lay on top. Sarah listened to his heart as it beat a perfect rhythm. Sarah kissed his upper chest and leaned on her hands.

"So what now?" Chuck looked down at Sarah.

"The talk I guess right?"

"It doesn't have to be but we do need to talk about last night and now?"

"I'm not apologizing…." Sarah pleaded.

"Why would you? It was obvious that we both wanted it to happen."

"I know Chuck but I also know that you wished that the other part of me that one you fell in love with was with me now?"

"I haven't stopped loving you if that is what you're thinking. Far from it and after what happened between us you can't say that you don't love me either. That was love."

Sarah caressed Chuck's face and kissed his lips. Chuck held her close as the kiss deepened. Chuck sat up and embraced Sarah as he laid her back onto the bed. Chuck looked into her blue eyes that were getting darker the more he kissed her.

Sarah needed air but not before she whispered 'yes.'

Chuck placed his head along hers as Sarah deepened the embrace. Sarah looked at Chuck and for that split second what Chuck had told her was true.

Their moment was interrupted with a forceful knock at the door. Chuck grabbed one of the sheets and wrapped it around his waist. Sarah sat up as Chuck tossed a gun her way. Chuck cocked his tranq gun and carefully opened the door. When the door open there stood Casey. The look on his face was priceless.

"Hiding the cannoli are we?"

"Walker!"

"Casey."

"So you called?"

Sarah covered herself further as Chuck sat down at the table with Casey. Sarah excused herself and headed to the bathroom.

"So what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hey I walk in with you two – well you know so that means she has her memories back?"

"No not really?"

"Then this is new?"

"I guess it is. But my love life isn't why I called you. I, we need your help."

Chuck filled Casey in much as he had time for. Sarah walked out as Chuck got up to have his turn to change. Sarah sat down and put her boots on.

"So I see things are going well with you and Chuck?"

"Just say what you want to say."

Casey grunted and Sarah tossed him a smile. "You okay with this!"

"Yeah, I guess, I never stopped loving parts of him even when I couldn't remember that I did. Plus who in their right mind would make up a story like ours. Not even Hollywood would be that creative. Maybe a fan fiction writer would make something up like this but Casey, me falling for a nerd?"

"Well stranger things have happen." They both laughed.

"So my old team mate Tatum Reid is still causing problems. Hard to believe that he had Rourke killed because Rourke failed. And Reid having a son that worked for Interpol, never saw that coming either. I remember him seeing several girls but didn't think that one of them would be willing to bring one of his offspring into the world."

"Yeah now that Reid has the key thanks to his son, anything is possible. But we can't let Corvus get back on track."

"So where are they?"

"We left Carina staking out an old Sanitation warehouse. A truck entered but where it went we don't know. We came back here to get some rest."

"Rest huh?"

"Anyways I guess Chuck called you for a reason."

"I would like to know?"

Chuck walked out as his hair was still wet which his look made Sarah's temperature rise.

"Yes why I called you. First it's great to see you and secondly we need you for expertise with Reid. You know how he works and thinks. Also after reading my dad's file I felt that you needed to be here when we finally shut down this mission. You and Sarah have been here from day one and your family. And my dad always said that you never leave family."

"Okay." As Casey stood up. "Yes let's put this baby to rest."

Casey walked out as Chuck grabbed his stuff. Sarah closed the door as Chuck was heading to it. Sarah grabbed Chuck's bag and tossed it to the floor. "We got to go."

"I know but you forgot something."

Chuck looked around the room. "I don't think so?"

Sarah leaned in and kissed Chuck. She grabbed his shirt and brought him closer. Chuck ran his hands through her hair and held her close. After a few minutes Sarah let go of his shirt.

"I always like our morning kisses."

"You remembered?"

Sarah smiled and shook her head. "No but if you kissed me like that back then as you did now then I for sure I liked it."

Chuck grabbed his and Sarah's bag and walked to the car. Casey had driven his crown Vic and followed Chuck and Sarah back to Carina.

**Old Sanitation Warehouse**

Carina had been watching the warehouse and looked at her watch, it had been several hours since Chuck and Sarah had left and the sun was just rising over the horizon. She hoped that Chuck and Sarah had gotten some sleep unaware of the last few hours. Chuck drove up the deserted road and parked the car with in some trees. Casey drove up and opened his trunk. Chuck walked by to see that Casey didn't come unprepared.

"I see that we have been collecting some new toys since we last spoke."

"Yes!" As Casey pulled out a F2000 Assault rifle. "Gertrude gave me this."

"I see, she must know her weapons?"

"And so much more."

Chuck didn't want to comment on that so he quickly changed the topic.

"So where is the lovely lady?"

"Out in some jungle, her team got a tip on an African war lord so she jumped at the opportunity. I got your call so I couldn't join her."

"Thanks buddy."

"Like you said we don't leave family behind."

Casey padded Chuck on the shoulder and grabbed a few more guns. He tossed a few to Sarah and closed the trunk. Chuck and Casey had come a long way in their relationship and for Casey to express that they were family just proved how far it actually was. Chuck grabbed his gear and followed behind as Sarah led them back to Carina.

Carina welcomed the strangers as Sarah gave Carina a cup of coffee.

"You don't know how bad I needed this!"

"I can see, so what do we have?"

"Hi Casey?"

"Carina, miss me?"

"Always my dear."

Casey grunted and set up his gear.

As Sarah crouched down beside Carina. Carina could tell that something was different. Even Chuck looked different. Carina needed answers.

"So did we get some sleep?"

"Yeah some the rain put me to sleep."

"So you two are ok?"

"Oh fine, we – are – good."

Carina knew better than to take Sarah's word for it. So she probed again.

"So what's the mark on your neck?"

Sarah grabbed her neck and remembered that Chuck had left his mark or two on her skin. Luckily it was just the one that was visible the other well let's just say that only Chuck and her are on a need to know basis on where it is located.

"My neck? Oh must be a bruise."

"Ya sure, what happened?"

"Nothing, we went back to the hotel and slept."

The more Carina watched her the more she knew that something big happened and Sarah never usually kissed and told her intimate details but this was one that Carina wanted to know about and had invested a lot of herself into it. She wanted to know that things were well on their way.

"Ok fine but please tell me you used protection. I would want little Bartowski's joining us on missions."

Sarah tried not to smile but the feeling in her heart about last night and about Chuck – memories or not proved that love conquers all. Sarah nudged Carina as Carina wrapped her arms around Sarah.

"Good for you."

"It wasn't all me, I'll tell ya." The girls laughed as Chuck and Casey moved in alongside them. Casey pointed to a side door that was an option to enter as the day break allowed the team to get a much better view of the warehouse.

Chuck and Casey rushed down the hill and leaned against the wall. Once the close was clear they motioned for the girls to follow. Casey opened the door as Carina, Sarah, Chuck then Casey entered the door to a long hall. Casey turned on his flash light to his gun and scanned the area. Chuck moved forward as the long hallway lead to a fork in the road. Casey and Carina decided to go left much to Casey's choice. Chuck and Sarah turned left. Casey and Carina headed east hoping to find Reid.

Chuck came across some rooms and ducked down and slid a mirror under the door.

"Clear."

Sarah then scooted to the other door and Chuck did the same.

Chuck nodded and stood up. Sarah stayed close; one because of instinct and the second reason she had wasted enough time alone. Chuck grabbed her hand as he helped her across a huger crack in the floor. Sarah moved in close and gave Chuck a kiss.

Chuck smiling. "What was that for? Not that I am complaining."

"For being such a gentleman."

Chuck returned the kiss. "That is because you're so adorable."

Sarah bit her lip and composed herself and moved forward.

Casey and Carina had finally approached the end of their wing and heard some movement in the distance. Casey moved in to see the truck that they had seen the night before.

Casey stayed low as Carina moved adjacent to Casey's right. Carina noticed the truck had cases of WMD's stack five high and on a side table several computer monitors. Casey reported back to Chuck and Sarah and they headed to the location. Chuck moved in behind Casey when they came back. Chuck had to come up with a plan. Chuck and Casey weighed out their options.

"So we need to find the key first then get rid of this stuff."

"Beckman is on standby for an aerial assault so we need to get out as soon as the key is located."

"Ok guys. This is the plan I hope. Get what you can intel wise and if you see something that looks like a star wars light saber grab it. But I think Reid has it on him. Lancer, well the government can have him and Reid, well."

"Chuck Reid is mine."

Chuck taken aback by Casey's plead. He back down allowing Casey to deal with him.

"Ok, we have a very short time before Beckman reigns her wrath on this place. Be safe. We all need to come out of this unscaved."

Casey and Carina jumped up and headed out. Sarah noticed the look on Chuck's face. "Don't freak out ok. I need you."

Chuck held her close. "I need you too." Chuck kissed her hopefully not for the last time.

Sarah sensed that she had been in this situation before but this time the circumstances were different. Sarah wasn't the old Sarah but last night and realising how far they had come since she left him on the beach, something that she'll regret for a long time but fate had a way of turning it into something special. Last night she didn't feel that she was cheating on her old life with Chuck but that she, they, were creating a new life that brought hope.

Chuck held his gun aimed as he pinned of a few of the workers. Sarah watched as every guy that she had in her sights had been taken out. The words 'You picked a good one' rang through her subconscious. In more ways than one she did. Sarah finally pinned a few of her own as they approached the truck. Casey and Carina followed shortly after. The all stood to see the length of the truck full of WMD's. This had to be the biggest shipment that they had found as a team. Carina also found a few little gems and I mean gems, and a few bags of cocaine. She took some pictures because she knew that Beckman was going to blow this place up. Casey grabbed a camera and started documenting the room. As Casey finished he looked up and made eye contact with a man that he held in high esteem.

"It's Reid!"

Casey ran off. Chuck yelled. "I need the key."

Casey ran after Reid. Chuck followed Casey. Reid tried to out run Chuck and Casey and managed to get a head of them a few times. As the shot rang through the tunnels that Reid ran into they lost him. Chuck met up with Casey trying to catch his breath.

"Darn it we lost him and I can't make high tale of these tunnels."

Chuck remembered someone who could help him and one little black wrist band. Chuck pulled out his phone. The voice on the end wasn't surprised to hear from him so quickly.

"Charles, how are you?"

"Fine grandpa but we need your help. Did dad happen to download the schematics of an old Sanitation warehouse in the wrist band?"

"Let me check."

A few minutes later he returned. "Yes he did, is that where you are?"

"Great and yes. Can you bring it up and load it to my phone. Do you know how?"

"Son, who do you think bought you your first computer?"

Chuck waited as he instantly watched his phone turn into a high tech grid machine.

"Do you have it?"

"Yeah thanks Grandpa."

"Be safe, we have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yes we do, bye."

Chuck held out his phone and lined up the compass to their current location. Chuck guided them in and out of the tunnels.

"Who knew that a nerd would come in handy?"

"Awe Casey, who knew?"

"Ya keep it in your pants."

Casey saw a shadow disappear behind a narrow rise in the floor. Chuck flipped forward on his phone to see if there was any way to get there without getting shot at. Chuck showed Casey another route and Casey headed that way. The shadow reappeared. Reid finally was able to catch his breath but just barely. Reid saw them from his left they were coming towards him. Reid ran and bumped into Chuck. Unaware that he had come with Casey. Casey came up from behind and cocked his gun behind his head.

Chuck took his gun and tossed it. Chuck then checked him for the key.

"Where is it?"

Casey pointing the gun a little harder this time against his head this time.

"Not sure what you're talking about."

"Yeah you do, your son took it from me?"

"Well I am surprise that my weakling of a son took it from you, you of all people. Charles."

"Well if your son didn't threat a little girl then yes I would still have it, wouldn't I?"

Reid nodded slightly. "Perhaps, but then again if I had the opportunity to flash I would have found a way to do both wouldn't I?"

By now Chuck had – had had enough.

"Chuck he is just playing with you. It has to be here."

"Awe the help speaks again."

"You're a disappointment to the army."

"Am I? At least I didn't go soft like you. I mean going from a high ranking position to baby sitting a computer nerd because Beckman said so. Who's a disappointment? Soldiers go don't go soft."

Casey head butted Reid with the end of his gun. Reid fell to the ground. Laughing. "Is that all you can do. Your interrogation skills are lacking."

Reid waited for a bit and upper cut Chuck in the chin. Chuck fell back as Reid turned around to get a piece of Casey. Casey tossed his gun and waited to make his move. It didn't take long for Reid and Casey to be engulfed in a fist fight. This was more than protecting the team it was honour of the utmost status. Casey trained his men to be loyal no matter what and not to give into the pressures of the job. The core was family and what it stood for was as important. Reid and Casey battled it out as Chuck was able to finally stand up. Not anticipating a punch it knocked him out good. Chuck had to find the key but he couldn't leave Casey there either.

Casey saw Chuck get up as he tossed Reid against the wall.

"Go and find that key, I will meet up with you after I take care of some long overdue business."

Chuck grabbed his gun and ran down the tunnel. He could still hear gruntal fighting as he turned the corner. Chuck ran back to see Sarah and Carina grabbing what they could. Sarah was relieved to see Chuck and ran to give him a hug and noticed his face took a shot.

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Nothing but you should see the other guy, really?"

"Where's Casey?"

"Taking care of the other guy."

"So where is the key?"

"Don't know he didn't have it on him, so it has to be here. One click and all you need to do is sync it with a computer and…."

"We'll find it."

Chuck walked around and saw plans for the newest upgrade. He saw old copies of his dad's original plan that had seen better days. But back in the day his dad's idea was way ahead of its time. Chuck noticed the plans to revise Corvus and Phase Three. He was thankful that the Belguim didn't succeed. Chuck grabbed the files and stuffed them into his bag. Chuck then came across plans that showed the same image as Rourke had. Kingston Industries was very much designed the same way that Rourke industries was. Chuck walked around the table when he noticed a puff of dirt come from under the table. Chuck whistled to get the girls attention. Carina and Sarah approached the table. On three they lifted the table and there sat crouched was Lancer himself. For someone who had a reputation for being ruthless sure didn't in the height department. Carina grabbed Lancer and Chuck flashed through his Rolla deck on him. Carina sat Lancer down as she cuffed him to a chair.

Chuck walked around Lancer, the height difference much to Lancer's dismay bother him. Sarah moved in and knelt down beside him.

"So your Lancer? Finally it's nice to meet you." Lancer looking at Chuck.

"Don't worry about him, he doesn't bite. But I do."

Lancer squirmed in his seat.

"So!" As Sarah ran her fingers up his chest. "So where is the key that Reid's son took from us?

Lancer squirmed again.

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

Carina moved in behind him as the two did what did best and in no time Lancer had spilled everything. Carina grabbed Lancer and walked him out of the warehouse.

"But I told you what I know. Don't I get something in return?"

Carina dragged him out. "Yeah a 4 by 6 cell, with your options of a top bunk or bottom."

Chuck and Sarah got word that the air assault was on its way and that they better get going. Chuck called Casey but there was no answer.

"We can't leave him!"

"Casey knows that the air assault is coming and he knows the challenges of the job. He will be ok. We need to go."

Sarah pulled Chuck out as they headed for the car. Carina sat in the back holding a gun to Lancer as Chuck and Sarah got into the front. Chuck started the car and put it into reverse. They headed down the road.

Casey lifted Reid's shirt and knew that Reid was done. Casey fell back exhausted. He looked at his watch and knew that Beckman's air strike was nearing its target time. Casey got up and grabbed his gun. As he approached the entrance Casey felt a prickle then a sharp pain as a bullet ran through his left shoulder. Reid had found his gun and was trying to stand up. Casey turned around, lucky shot but here let me help you with the target. Casey faced Reid and pulled the trigger. Reid fell backwards and didn't get up.

"A soldier should never die like this but you gave me no choice."

Casey grabbed his left arm and moved as fast as he could. Chuck and Sarah sped down the road to get as far as they could. Chuck stopped on the main road and got out. He looked up to see 2 fighter jets come swooping in dropping two bombs each. The warehouse blew up. Debris was flying everywhere as the plume of smoke rose to the heavens. Dark black smoke followed as tonnes of C4 and who know what blew to kingdom come. Chuck feared that with, the explosions, Casey didn't make it out but as his thoughts jumped to another thought Chuck saw the black Crown Vic speeding down towards them.

Casey stopped the car and got out as Chuck and Sarah ran to him. Carina stepped out with one eye on Lancer. Chuck saw that Casey was wounded. But didn't ask anything more.

Chuck informed Casey that they had to get to the laboratory. Reid's son had the key and was going to upload the information. But they needed to get there before that. Chuck told them that his dad had set a trap on the saber in case it got into the wrong hands. He needed to prevent that from happening. If the saber was deciphered then programed it could kill lot of people.

Casey made Chuck take the Vic as it was faster than the car that they were driving. Carina would then patch Casey up and join them in a bit. Chuck and Sarah jumped into the crown Vic and sped to the lab.

**Kingston Laboratory**

Chuck pulled in as the afternoon sun was hanging low over the horizon. Chuck smashed the window as he had lost his patience and time was running out to pick the lock. The lab was deserted. Chuck and Sarah followed the noise as it led them a room that looked a lot like the one that Chuck and Sarah had been in when Pegasus aka Busgang was killed. Chuck was amazed that this could have been his dad's ultimate achievement if certain people weren't so greedy. Chuck walked around the room as he had to take in his dad's work. The main frame and construction was his dad's entire work. His imagination that led people to uploading data into their brains was something that Chuck still couldn't completely fathom even after all these years. Chuck needed to make a decision. He knew he had to shut down this project but he also needed the key to prevent anyone else from benefiting from it as well.

The intersect was designed as a teaching tool and Chuck needed to continue that if not for future of humanity but for the sake of his dad. Sarah started to snoop around and came across Marcel trying to unlock the saber. Sarah recalled that the saber had a code in it that needed to be deciphered in order to be successful for any upgrades. Once the saber was activated it could be downloaded into any program. She knew what it did to her after Quinn took her memories but she also saw the good it could do through the eyes of Chuck. Sarah lowered herself and aimed her gun.

Marcel fumbled the key, twisted and hit it and nothing popped or moved. Then he saw Sarah's reflection and ran. Sarah saw Marcel and ran after him yelling 'CHUCK'. Chuck followed Sarah's voice as they both ran after Marcel. Marcel wasn't watching where he was running and slipped landing on an edge of the scaffold. Sarah stopped as she laid down to grab Marcel's hand. Marcel had one hand on the scaffold and the other was holding the saber. Chuck managed to help Sarah pull Marcel up but as Chuck and Sarah tried to get their breath. Marcel got up and ran. Chuck followed and tackled him near the stairs. Chuck knocked the saber out of Marcel's hand and watched it trickle down the stairs. Chuck managed a few punches to Marcels face giving him the upper hand. Sarah ran down the stairs and grabbed the saber and put it behind her lower back. She ran back up as Marcel pushed Chuck aside and ran back up the hallway.

Chuck fumbled till he got his bearing and sprinted after Marcel. Carina and Casey saw Chuck run past them on the concourse. Sarah followed "Where's Lancer?"

"Carina knocked him out he made a move on her."

"Carina!"

"Hey either him or me, don't worry he's chained."

Chuck continued to run after Marcel as he noticed that Marcel locked himself back into the main lab. Chuck grabbed the fire axe from the wall and smashed the glass. He threw down the axe and walked in. Marcel stumbled around the room knocking vials and chairs down to slow Chuck down. But Chuck was on a mission, no more Mr. Nice Guy today. Chuck saw Marcel heading to a box. Marcel opened the lid and Chuck flashed on the logo. The case, its contents flashed images that Chuck feared would blow up this city block. Chuck saw Marcel pull out the capsule and toss the case to the floor. Then he went for another case and pulled out a canister and flipped the lid.

Marcel dangled his finger over the trigger to the canister. "My dad told me that one day I would change the world. He told me that I had to be ready and not fool around with people who didn't like change. My dad…"

"You dad was a fool. He didn't have a clue how to change the world expect to destroy what one man envisioned to be a positive change for humanity."

"Your dad didn't have a clue what possibilities this thing could do. My dad knew that once you guys spilt the keys that they would fail. My dad got rid of Rourke and Daniel Shaw got rid of yours."

Chuck walked towards Marcel. Marcel dangled his finger closer to the canister's trigger.

"Yes do come forward and I'll blow this place sky high along with your beautiful wife. I would have loved to have met Quinn as I hear he did a number on her. Memories are a terrible thing to waste."

Chuck tried to move closer as the team arrived outside the lab. Marcel took the chance to press the trigger as Chuck looked as Sarah. Marcel ran out as the canister spewed a fog type substance into the air. Marcel ducked out and the security doors shut down on Chuck as Sarah stood helpless watching the room fill up with the substance. Sarah ran to the glass where Chuck stood helpless on the other side. The team rushed to get Chuck out. Casey shot at the glass but it only dented the glass. Sarah ran to the side panel and ripped open the circuit board. Casey took over and helped cross thread the wires to reopen the doors. After a few attempts the door opened and Casey found Chuck almost passed out. Casey grabbed Chuck and carried him out. Sarah knelt down and watched him gasp for air. Chuck sat up. "Where's MARCEL!"

"I don't know." Casey replied. As Sarah shrugged her shoulders. Sarah helped Chuck up as he dusted off his jeans. Chuck looked and saw the rat sitting on a motorbike across the street of local watering hole. He still had the capsule. The capsule sat on the back of Marcel as he made eye contact with Chuck. Chuck snuck away and ran after him as the team didn't know he had left.

Sarah walked back to the cars when she noticed that they were missing Chuck. Sarah looked around. "Casey where's Chuck?"

"I thought that he was beside you?"

Sarah shook her head. Carina looked up and saw Chuck chasing after a motorcycle. Chuck had run across the street and hotwired a bike and speed off. By the time Sarah had reached Chuck he had sped off. Sarah went for another bike as a mean looking owner of the bike grabbed her arm. Sarah grabbed his other hand and tossed him to the ground. The other bikers stood back not to take their chances. The biker gave up his keys and Sarah mounted the bike and took off. As a lone voice whispered 'who was that she male.'

Carina and Casey followed with the Crown Vic. They had tossed Lancer into the back seat and sped through the streets of Fountain Valley. Chuck had picked up pace and got use to riding a bike again. It had been awhile since he rode after he rescued, well broke Volkoff out of Decker's possession.

Sarah looked ahead and saw Chuck so she knew that she was on the right track. Marcel came to a sharp turn and with his speed crashed lost control and smashed the bike. Marcel scrambled off the bike and dragged his injured legs through the park. Chuck followed Marcel and came up to him and knocked him down. Chuck stopped his bike and ran back grabbing by Marcel by the neck. Sarah stopped and came up alongside a tree closest to Chuck. Marcel had a gun on Chuck while still holding the bag with the bomb in it. Chuck reached around his back and noticed that his gun wasn't there. It must have fallen out when they were fighting back at the lab. Chuck was just a few feet from Marcel. Sarah knew that one of them would end up with a bullet and she hope that it didn't include Chuck. Marcel limped closer to Chuck when he noticed that Chuck didn't have a gun. Marcel aimed the gun and pulled back the trigger. As the gun cocked a shot was heard.

As the smoke lifted Sarah walked out behind the tree and walked over to Chuck. The bag still contained the bomb and Marcel was silent. Chuck grabbed Sarah and held her close. Chuck took a deep breath and thanked Sarah for saving his life yet again. Chuck opened the bag and saw that the bomb had been activated. Chuck carefully pulled out the bomb and looked at Sarah and caressed her face.

Sarah knew by the look in his eyes that what was going to happen next wouldn't sit right with her. Chuck kissed her lightly and grabbed the bag and placed the bomb and ran back to his bike and took off.

Sarah ran after him yelling at him not to do this.

Casey and Carina picked up Sarah as they followed Chuck. Chuck drove back around and headed back to the lab. Casey followed and saw Chuck drive alongside the building. Casey stopped outside the gate. "Why did you stop! He's in there!"

"I know but we can't risk our lives, you know that Chuck wouldn't want that."

"To hell to what Chuck had said in the past we need to go in there." As Sarah got out the car Casey grabbed her just in time as the building blew up. Sarah tried to get out of Casey's hold as shattered glass and construction material fell to the ground.

Sarah got loose and fell to her knees as Casey and Carina tried to console her. As another explosion erupted, Sarah screamed as memories of another blast crossed her mind; the image of Chuck being tossed off a building by Cole; getting shot, flying off Buy More to her rescue, zip lining in Mexico; fighting Shaw; losing his own memories ; their first kiss in the warehouse; making love in Paris. Though the memories were only a selected few, she knew that she was back. But without Chuck, it wasn't worth the fight to get them all back. Sarah held her hands near her face as she cried for Chuck.

It had been too long to anticipate any survivors. Fire truck and police fill the streets. A firefighter wanted to know if anyone was in there. Casey took the firefighter aside as he didn't want Sarah to overhear anymore of the details. Carina held onto Sarah and encouraged her to go with her.

Sarah stood up but stopped in her tracks. Sarah looked around and headed towards the lab. Firefighters tried to stopped her but Carina ran interference and Casey pulled his badge. Sarah started climbing the debris. The firefighters followed. Sarah climbed over a large metal beam and stood looking around.

"Sarah what are we doing here?"

"I can't leave, he's here somewhere?"

"We don't know that."

Sarah wouldn't listen. She jumped down and started tossing debris aside. Sarah moved a few boards when Casey grabbed a few boards as well. Sarah jumped into an area that had been cleared. She yelled for a light. The fire fighter tossed Casey a light and Casey passed it too Sarah. Sarah scanned the area several times till she noticed a black converse shoe.

Sarah yelled for Chuck.

Sarah pointed to where she saw Chuck. The fire fighters moved in and removed the debris from the area. When they cleared enough they jumped and carefully pulled Chuck out of the wreckage. Chuck was transferred to the local hospital. The team sat in the waiting room. Casey was attended for his injury and came back in a sling. Carina held Sarah on the couch as there was no word on Chuck's injuries.

Several hours went by as Casey was on the phone with Beckman on a regular basis. She was on route to LA. Chuck had been in surgery for going on three hours when one of the doctors walked into the waiting room. Sarah stood up as Carina and Casey stood as well. "Who is Charles's wife?"

Sarah spoke up. "I am. How is he?"

"It was touch and go, the blast did a number on him. But we managed to stop the bleeding and we reset his right leg. He is still unconscious but very lucky. Someone was looking out for him."

Casey shook the doctor's hand thanking him for Sarah's sake for all their sake.

"Thank you, doctor. Can I see him?"

"Sure follow me."

**Sinai Hospital – Downtown LA**

Beckman had Chuck transferred back to LA. Chuck remained unconscious for several days. But for Sarah it felt like weeks. Sarah was starting to get run down herself. But she couldn't let a little cold knock her down. Chuck lay sleeping as Sarah snuck herself into his room and crawled in beside him. The evening nurse frowned on any human contact but Sarah need to be close to Chuck, even if she was told not to.

For two weeks Chuck was in and out of consciousness. Ellie and Devin arrived after Mary had called them. Ellie sat down getting to know her grandfather in the waiting room. Charles Senior was enjoying getting to know his great granddaughter as well. Beckman made arrangements for everyone to be house in a nearby hotel while Chuck recovered in hospital.

Ellie sat on the edge of Chuck's bed as Chuck awoke from one of his many naps. Chuck still groggy sat up and chatted with his sister. "So you and Sarah."

"Yeah."

"So is this a good thing."

"Very much, a second chance or third? Depending on how many times I tried to win her back."

Chuck laughed but his injuries didn't help in the laughing department.

"So have you met grandpa?"

"Yes I have, he's an interesting little man."

"I know, where the heck did we get our height from." Ellie and Chuck both laughed as Sarah entered the room with the nurse.

"Time for needles."

"You know that I don't like needles so if you're going to poke me I wish that you don't." As Chuck pleaded the nurse was done with her needle work and walked out.

Chuck looked at his arm and felt nothing.

"A miracle." Ellie spouted.

"You making fun of me!" As Sarah walked over and caressed his face. "No Chuck, she's not but it is a miracle." Sarah kissed Chuck. "I guess this is my cue to leave."

"See ya Ellie."

Sarah laid down beside Chuck and resumed her place with in his arms. Chuck rubbed her shoulder and they both fell asleep.

**3 weeks later**

Chuck snuck into Castle. He convinced Casey to bring him here. Chuck sat down with his leg up staring at the saber. It didn't take Sarah long to find Chuck sitting in Castle. Sarah wrapped her arms around him. "Don't be mad at Casey, he's just looking out for me." Sarah kissed Chucks cheek and pulled up a stool and sat beside him. "So what are you going to do?"

"It's up to you?"

"Why me?"

"Cause when I decode this it will be ready for you to get your memories back. I have uploaded l your whole dossier and pictures and video. Your mission logs on me; everything and anything that I have on and about you. All we need is your decision."

"You were going to use it on me?"

"Yeah of course, this is what the last few months were for. I knew that there was a way to get your memories back and I wanted to make it happen."

"But I have some memories back, isn't that enough."

"For me, and I don't care I love you whether you have your memories back or not. It is your decision. But there are a few side effects and if you choose to go through it we would have to monitor your brain activity and vitals till you regain consciousness."

"All to get back my memories?"

"Yeah."

Sarah got up and walked up the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"To my hotel."

Chuck sat up as he leg fell to the ground causing him pain. He got up and cringed. Sarah was heading to the elevator when the doors open and Ellie and Devin where standing there.

Sarah lost her balance. Devin helped her to the stairs. Ellie checked her vitals. While Devin checked her temperature.

"Sarah when was the last time you ate or drank something?"

"I don't know. I'm fine. Why are you guys here?"

"Well grandpa wanted to see Clara so mom took her over there and we came by the apartment and it was dark so we figured that you guys were here and we are leaving tomorrow and we wanted to know if you two wanted to go to that sushi restaurant that we went to when you two first started dating."

Chuck limped upstairs and saw Sarah sitting on the stairs.

"What's wrong, Sarah you ok?"

Sarah looked at Ellie and gave her that look of please don't tell Chuck, cause he'll over react look. "She's fine just hungry."

"We came by to ask you two out for supper."

"Great, let's go."

Chuck limped forward. "We'll be right there guys." Chuck and Devin took the elevator. As the doors closed. Ellie turned to Sarah. "So how long have you felt like this?"

"For a while. But it doesn't go away. I eat, drink and the feeling doesn't go away."

"I hate to pry but have you and Chuck been intimate."

"Have we slept together? Ya, about a month or so ago."

"So maybe?"

"I CAN'T BE PREGNANT!"

"And why not, you two had been trying long before you lost your memories."

"We were?"

"Yeah you told me months ago before you left for Japan that you and Chuck decided to start a family or at least try for one."

"Sorry I don't remember that. And the last time it just happened."

Ellie wasn't convinced. "Either way you need to find out before you and Chuck move forward. If you decide to go through the reprogramming to get your memories back I don't know what it will do if anything to the baby if your actually pregnant."

Sarah lowered her head. "Sarah I'm just saying if you are and you still wanted to reprogram your memories you can go ahead after the baby is born. Take a test then you two can decide where to go from there."

After supper, Sarah ducked into the pharmacy while Chuck and Devin got the car. Ellie walked in to see what was taking her so long. Sarah had several boxes in her hand and a few in her basket.

"Having some problems?"

"There are so many boxes and styles and fancy do dats that makes you wonder if these companies actually want you to find out."

Ellie grabbed the most recommended brand and gave it to Sarah. "You used this the last time."

"What the last time?"

"Sorry, you weren't feeling well there for a while so you had Chuck buy a few brands and you ended up not being pregnant, obviously but the thought of you two becoming parents wasn't tossed aside. The spy world got in the way."

"And Chuck? Was he ok with it? I am thinking that he wants a big family as family is very important to him."

"Yes family is very important to him and you eventually. With where you came from and how you were raised. Did Chuck tell you that your mom and sister visited about 6 months ago?"

"He said something to that affect and I saw pictures, but my sister, I don't remember her that much."

"In time, all these memories will come back to you. You need to credit yourself for getting back the ones you have on your own."

"That is what Carina said to me as well."

Sarah walked up to the counter and was going to pay for the box when she stopped and turned around. Ellie stood there with two more boxes. "Just in case you needed a little more convincing."

**ECHO PARK**

Chuck was surprised that Sarah decided to stay at the apartment instead. She had made herself scarce after he got out of the hospital. Chuck sat down after grabbing a few glasses and a bottle of wine. Chuck opened the bottle and poured himself a glass. Sarah had walked into the bathroom and hadn't come out for a while. Chuck got up and limped over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. Sarah sat on the edge of the tub staring at the three testers. Each sat face up waiting to be looked at. Sarah had set her timer on her phone and watch as the minutes count backwards. Chuck knocked again. Still no answer. Chuck was about to kick the door down when he stopped and turned the knob. Chuck tapped lightly and opened the door and saw Sarah sitting on the edge of the tub staring at the edge of the sink. Chuck noticed the objects that had Sarah so engaged.

Chuck sat down and grabbed her hand. Sarah rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well this explains a lot."

"I was told we have been through this before."

"Y-ea-h."

Chuck placed his head closer to hers. The timer buzzed on Sarah's phone as Sarah sat up and got up to walk towards the sink. Sarah looked at the three testers, closed her eyes and ran out of the room. Chuck got up and looked at the testers. All three all read +. Chuck followed Sarah and found her outside sitting at their spot by the fountain. Chuck struggled to lower himself to the edge of the fountain. Sarah wiped the tears away.

"Don't cry on my account." Sarah nudged him. Chuck wrapped his arms around Sarah and brought her close. Sarah continued to cry. "I hope that there…."

"That's it; I don't know what kind of tears they are?"

Chuck reached and grabbed his wallet. "I don't think protection is going to help now."

"What?"

"You looking in your wallet, the last time you did Morgan owed you and IOU."

Chuck laughed. Sarah had remembered that crucial moment in their relationship. Chuck continued to laugh as he pulled out and unfolded the picture he drew in Japan. He straightened it and gave it to Sarah.

"This was done after we made love on the bullet train in Japan just before you lost your memories. You wanted to remember our wish we had made together after we made love. So this picture was a stamp of approval you can say."

Sarah studied the picture and the thought of the two of them having a family was something to look forward to. Chuck would make a great father and she knew that with practice she too could be that parent that she always wanted for herself. Sarah folded the paper and stood up. She reached for Chuck.

"Enough for tonight ok."

Chuck nodded and followed Sarah to their room. Cast or no cast it was a welcomed homecoming.

**Few months or so later**

Casey drove like a manic as Sarah's water had broken. Chuck promised to be there but he was stuck in traffic and he wished that his dad had created a teleport rather than the intersect today. Casey slammed to a stop as he got out and helped Sarah into the emergency room. Chuck arrived shortly after and caught up to them as they had been processed and was heading to labour and delivery. Chuck ran and fell a few times as he reached the elevator.

"You must be the dad."

"Y-e-a-h I am." As he stood proud and smiling profusely.

He walked over and kissed Sarah then kissed Casey. This time Casey did a smile grunt. As the doors closed on the elevator.

Chuck followed Sarah and left Casey in the waiting room.

Chuck held Sarah's hand as superwoman decided on taking drugs to delivery this Bartowski baby. The nurses left after a while. Chuck sat near the bed holding her hand. Sarah caressed his hands and rubbed his wedding ring. After Chuck had got his cast off and the family was still in town Sarah made arrangements to tie the knot all over again. This time she would remember this event and not what pictures had told her. She kind of like having the extra cash as Chuck put it cause she able to bring her mom home and bring her dad home as well. It was a wonderful reunion and Sarah was able to meet her sister again.

Chuck looked up to the most beautiful woman in the world and had enjoyed the last few months as Sarah cared for their baby and worked hard to get her memories back. Sarah never forced them to come but as her maternal instincts kicked in and spending time with Chuck – they had the opportunity to reflect on the last 5 years and it helped. Beckman still called and Sarah pretended not to be home. Which made Chuck laugh knowing one other time that Sarah had dissed Beckman.

They wheeled Sarah into the delivery room and as the Sarah started to push and bring this new life into the world, she hoped for a healthy baby. Chuck held her hand and almost passed out from Sarah's hold. Silence filled the room as Sarah pushed her last push and Chuck held his breath as this new life made its presence known.

"What is it Chuck?"

Chuck snapped out of thoughts and looked ahead to see a pinkish little person. The nurses rolled the baby over as Chuck was able to see what it was. "It's a girl!"

"It's a girl." Chuck moved back and kissed Sarah as the nurses brought their baby to Sarah's chest. Sarah kissed the forehead of her little girl and Chuck kissed her cheek. Sarah held its fingers and kissed them one more time. The nurses took the baby.

"Chuck, go with her."

Chuck nodded and walked over to see his little girl. Chuck snapped pictures and more pictures till the nurses took the camera from him and placed his little girl in his arms. Chuck walked over and sat down beside Sarah as the delivery team cleaned her up. Chuck kissed his little girls face several times and then passed her onto Sarah. Sarah wasn't sure at first but Chuck held her close.

"You're not alone." Sarah reached for Chuck and brought her lips to his. The kiss was perfect, sweet and intense as were all their kisses.

**Later that evening**

Sarah finished nursing the baby for the first time. Chuck watched in awe that his perfect wife had given nourishment to their child again.

Chuck had come back from updating the family and stopped by the gift shop and pretty much bought the store out. "You need to stop spoiling her. She's only a few hours old. What are you going to do when she's older?"

"Give her a name."

Sarah laughed. "I guess we need to do that."

Chuck moved in alongside Sarah as they pondered a name for their miracle.

"So what should we call her?"

"We can name her after your mom or my mom, or after you?"

"Why me?"

"Why not?"

"It's kind of silly to name a girl after it's mom."

"No, anything goes."

"Really, not sure about that."

"Just hear me out. You lived a rough life that turned into a fairy tale much to your surprise but then it was taken away from you but you were able to conquer it and get that fairy tale life back. Your childhood and the names you had made you the person you are today and there was one name that didn't have the opportunity to experience and enjoy life. This person at the time had to grow up pretty quick. But there was hope with this person to whom is lying right here. I give you if you agree. I want to introduce you to your daughter Samantha Hope Bartowski."

Chuck looked up as Sarah's eyes trickled a tear down her daughter's cheek. Sarah brought her daughter to her lips and kissed Samantha Hope for the very first time. Chuck kissed his wife then his daughter Sam. There was a knock at the door that broken up the happy reunion. Sarah's mom and Chuck's mom had walked in. Sarah looked at Chuck and he nodded to go ahead.

Sarah placed Sam down as Chuck faced more the room. "Hi guys, Chuck and I would like to introduce you to our little girl Samantha Hope Bartowski."

**Two months later**

Chuck had fed Sam and put her down in her own room. Which Uncle Morgan just loved. Chuck walked over and rinsed Sam's bottle in the sink. He noticed Sarah looking at something. Chuck walked back towards the couch and sat down as Sarah was looking at the saber.

Chuck lowered her hand as Sarah laid down and placed her head on his lap. Sarah looked at the saber. "Chuck I have been thinking."

"And?"

"Maybe I don't need to have my memories back, scientifically. The last year, we got back together, made a baby got married again and we are here now."

"Sorry honey, to clarify. We didn't get back together first. We made a baby then got back together, married then became parents."

"Oh and that sounds better."

"Yes it does. I want our little girl to know how her mom operates."

Sarah sat up and straddled Chuck. "Are you sure that you want our daughter to know all our secrets?"

Sarah started to unbutton Chuck shirt and devour his chest. "Every spy detail, every thought ,and every passionate innuendo."

Chuck shifted Sarah and reached up under her the back of her shirt and unclasped her bra. Chuck whispered in Sarah's ear. "Every will they won't they moment."

"Everyone."

"Everyone."

Chuck pulled Sarah's top off and turned her around so that she was lying on the couch. Chuck caressed his wife in places she had not been touched in some time. Chuck stopped and sat up. Sarah wondered if she had done something wrong.

"Why did you stop?"

Chuck sat back on the knees. "It's not you, it's just that the couch. I spend too many nights on this couch, we kind of have a love hate relationship. And I don't think…"

Sarah got up holding her shirt in front of her. She grabbed Chuck's belt and led him to their room. Sarah stood in front of Chuck as she lowered her arm and tossed her shirt. Sarah went for his belt. As his belt fell to the floor and his jeans were pushed down. Sarah straddled Chuck. "Are you ready to make baby number two? Sam needs a brother."


End file.
